Fighting for You
by TyyTyy
Summary: They were from different worlds. They were both interested, but knew a relationship between them was less than likely to happen, even if they both wanted it. Sasuke's profession was dangerous, and Sakura was sheltered. Her parents' did not approve of him. Slowly though, feelings started to take root and both of them were willing to fight for each other.
1. Introductions

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter One-**

Introductions

* * *

The smell of coffee and pancakes, the feel of plush seats, and the sound of her best friend talking her ear off was exactly what she needed this Saturday morning. She absentmindedly picked up a strawberry and took a bite, closed her eyes and relished in its sweet and tangy flavor. A sound of gratification escaped her throat.

"Forehead, are you even listening to me?"

Still floating on cloud nine, Sakura nodded and giggled. "I really needed this day off, Pig."

"You really need to ease up on your studying." Ino huffed. "You go stating medical journals on the importance of sleep and a proper diet yet here you are," she waved her hands in the air, "It's summer and you still won't let yourself sleep in!"

Sakura had been working and studying her ass off in medical school. For the longest time, she was running on nothing but cups of Ninbucks and pre-packed cookies. It was hell, but she knew it would be worth it. Now that it was finally summer break, her mother was able to get a favor in the city's best hospital. She was privileged enough to shadow Tsunade, a famous surgeon, for three months. She was only supposed to come in three times a week, but she couldn't let the opportunity pass when Tsunade offered her more exposure.

It meant more work hours in the hospital, and less time to see Ino. She knew her best friends' complaints were valid. It was annoying, but Ino meant well. "Alright, alright."

She crossed her arms across her chest. "And you ditch me on weekends for that added Scribe work of yours in the hospital. Can't I live and see my hopeless best friend once in a while?"

She rolled her green eyes but couldn't help but smile. She really was hopeless at times, and she often did skip out their Saturday brunch dates. But Sakura just couldn't help herself. She liked to help people and keep herself busy.

"This is why you're still single."

"Hey!" That was below the belt. "You're single, too!"

Ino held her head high and announced, "Not for long, I won't be."

The pinkette's jaw dropped. "You're _seeing_ someone?"

The blonde winked. "You bet. And he's _so_ hot."

Sakura squinted her eyes. Something didn't feel right. "What are you up to, Pig?"

Her friend gasped and feigned shock. "Whatever do you mean? I'm simply stating that I have _met_ someone I like."

Unlike Sakura, Ino had it easy when it came to attracting guys. They always just seemed to fall at her feet, and are always instantly wrapped around her manicured fingers. She was happy for Ino, but when was it her turn to have luck with love?

"I know!" Ino exclaimed, her blue eyes sparkling at her epiphany. "Come with me tonight. Let's watch his fight!"

" _Fight_?" She blinked a few times and squinted her eyes. Ino looked so smug and it irritated her so much that Sakura wanted to throw a used tissue at her but restrained herself.

"Yes, Forehead. _Fight_. He's an MMA fighter." She said proudly. "I'll have you know, he's undefeated and just in his prime!"

The pinkette scrunched her nose and leaned back on her seat. Standing with a crowd of loud, and sweaty people while watching two even sweatier guys beat each other to a pulp did not sound like how Sakura wanted to spend her evening. Plus, her parents may not even let her go. It would be far too dangerous for her to be in a place like _that_.

Ino glared. "Don't give me that _look_."

Sakura laughed nervously and looked away. "I just remembered, I have a dinner to attend tonight." she lied.

" _No_ ," Ino slapped her hand on the table and leaned forward. " _you don't_."

There was no use lying to Ino. To anyone, actually. Sakura sucked at lying. She chewed on her lower lip and counted how many escape routes she could take-none.

The pathway that Ino lead her through to their seats was dark, and dingy. But the light ahead the hallway, and the low rumbling of a cheering crowd slowly crept up towards her. As they reached the end of the hallway, the bright lights temporarily blinded her, and the full force of the cheering crowds resonated within her body. Slowly, she opened her eyes and look in the sight. She could see the ring at eye level. She followed close behind Ino until they got to their seats which happened to be on the front row. Looking to her left and right, she was sitting with some of the sponsors.

"Best seats in the house!" Ino cheered. She elbowed her friend and grinned. "Told ya this guy likes me."

Sakura rolled her eyes and settled on to her seat. The first round already started.

There were two guys in the ring. One wore orange shorts, and had a shock of blond hair. The other wore red shorts, and had brown hair.

Ino pointed to the blond. "That's Naruto!" She then placed her hands on either side of her lips and shouted, "You go, Naruto! Beat Kiba's ass!" She then proceeded to pumping her fist up in the air to cheer for him.

 _Naruto._ Sakura repeated the name in her head. It was a funny name. Wasn't that something you placed in Ramen?

After a few more minutes of cheering, all of Ino's enthusiasm was starting to rub off on her. She couldn't help but watch Naruto grapple with the other fighter in the ring. She had to hand it to him, he was pretty good. Both fighters had rough and aggressive fighting tactics. But Naruto was quicker and stronger. The fight lasted three rounds, and the decision was announced. Naruto won. _Again_.

Loud cheers erupted from the crowd, and Sakura found herself cheering alongside her best friend. There was something about Naruto that she instantly liked. Maybe it was his sunny smile and disposition that made her grow fond of him. Even after being beat up, and his face was surely going to bruise, he was still wearing the widest and brightest smile.

The two girls watched a big man with wild, white hair usher him out of the ring. After a few minutes, the crowd started to settle down, and so did the two girls.

The next fight was about to begin.

Sakura watched excitedly as the next fighters entered the stadium. There were large screens that showed them on their way. The first man looked undeniably scary. His music and even the crew that walked in with him left her feeling anxious. Though for some reason, Sakura had never felt such a thrill.

"We're going to go backstage and see Naruto, but I know his best friend is fighting this guy here so I didn't want to miss it."

Sakura nodded at Ino's words though she was quite enthralled with this whole fighting thing. The next fighter started entering the stadium just after the first one got inside the octagon.

Eyes glued to the screen, Sakura was on the edge of her seat as she took in the guy entering. He was much younger than the man he would be fighting but it was obvious that he was fired up just by the way he bounced around on his way towards the octagon.

His face was almost too beautiful for him to be a fighter. Someone punching that face would be a disgrace. His dark eyes and ebony hair pulled her in and when he took his shirt off and stepped inside the octagon her body temperature spiked.

She had never seen such a beautiful male specimen in her life. His body was so strong and muscular, though not nearly as bulky as his opponents'. Sakura found herself clenching her fists in fear as she watched and listened to the announcements before the fight would commence.

As excited as she was, Sakura was certain she couldn't watch that beautiful creature take a beating- and his opponent was a _beast._

However, she couldn't look away for even an instant. Not even after the two of them touched gloves and backed up just as the round started. There was never a time that Sakura could remember feeling the nervousness that she felt at this moment. Her interest overwhelmed her worry though, because that guy was _hot_ and he didn't appear worried in the least.

He was the epitome of composed confidence as his fist raised in a defensive motion, just as the older man came charging at him like a bull. Sakura leaned back in her seat, cringing just as the man swung, knowing full well this younger guy was about to take a slug to the face that would knock him two weeks into the future.

She couldn't believe it when the younger guy dodged the hit effortlessly before he countered with a strong left hook that sent his opponent straight on his back. A squeal escaped her, all else forgotten as she stood on her feet and watched the guy take a mount, the roar of the crowd deafening as he started raining down punches, though the man was knocked unconscious after the second hit.

He was several hits in before the referee stepped in and stopped the fight. Sakura was jumping up and down with excitement. She'd never felt such a thrill as this. Her cheeks were flushed and the brightest of smiles adorned her face as she watched him hold up his arms in victory. It was amazing, exhilarating, breathtaking. This guy was something else. She was most certainly a fan.

"Are you excited because he'd such a badass, or because he's hot?" Ino questioned her with a smug smirk and Sakura calmed down instantly, blushing furiously in embarrassment.

Maybe she had gotten a tad bit over-excited. "Don't be ridiculous. You know I hate violence."

Ino laughed. "Says the girl who punched someone last week to get the last pair of heels."

Sakura huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Whatever. Are we done here?"

Her best friend rolled her eyes and stood up from her seat. "We're going backstage." She fished out two IDs and gave one to Sakura. "If we're lucky, you'll get to meet Sasuke."

Sakura felt her cheeks heat up. As much as she didn't want to weave around the crowd, the possibility of meeting the fighter excited her. But of course, she wasn't going to let Ino see that.

"Sure. Whatever," she said with as much boredom in her tone that she could muster. "I'm much more interested in meeting this Naruto person. You must really like him."

"You're such a horrible liar," Ino said. "But yes, I do like him. And I'm sure you will, too." She grinned.

Sakura held on to her best friend's hand like a child afraid of losing their mother in a crowded mall. It was all too overwhelming. The people backstage ranged from fighters, medics, media personnel, sponsors, and rabid fans. She caught on little bits of conversation here and there. The pinkette was straining to hear a medic's conversation about another fighter's current condition, but she was interrupted when Ino's hand was forced out of hers.

"Ino-chan!"

"Naruto!" She watched the blond engulf her in a giant hug. He lifted her off her feet, earning a squeal from her.

"I'm glad you came!" He put her down and flashed her a wide grin, showing off a perfect set of white teeth. He had already been patched up. There was a large bandage on his left cheek.

It was easy for Sakura to see why her best friend was smitten. This guy was the personification of the Sun. He had such a warm aura, and his personality just drew everybody in. His bright blue eyes and tan skin complimented each other well. His body was fit, and muscular, too. _Just Ino's type._

"Of course! And I brought Sakura, too." Ino pulled her arm and dragged her closer to Naruto.

She looked up at him, and offered him a warm smile. "Hi there."

"Oh! You're Sakura-chan," Naruto said, and grinned. "You're a lot cuter than I expected." He laughed.

Sakura felt her face color, as Ino joined in laughing with Naruto.

"Hey, we watched Sasuke's fight, too."

"Oh yeah? Heh. That bastard's getting better each time."

"Can we meet him?" Ino asked.

"Ah, yeah. Sure. Hold on a sec, let me find him."

Naruto vanished momentarily, though the two girls followed him with their eyes. Sasuke had been just behind a small crowd of people, with his crew and his manager. Naruto pulled him away easily and Sasuke came along though he didn't appear happy about it. He was rolling his eyes at Naruto just before he was pulled up close to the girls and his eyes met Sakura's.

Those dark eyes of his were nearly smoldering as he stared into her emeralds. Her breath caught in her throat at that instant and she felt her knees tremble slightly as his eyes trailed over her as if to examine every inch of her. She shuddered when his eyes found hers once more and the fact that he hadn't spared Ino a single glance hadn't gone unnoticed to her.

"Teme, stop staring like that!" Naruto exclaimed. "Stop being such a douchebag."

" _Tch._ Just wondering what all the fuss was about," Sasuke grumbled.

Naruto pursed his lips and gave him the stink eye. "Yeah right, bastard. Anyway!" He instantly perked up. "This is Ino-chan," he gestured towards the blond, "and Sakura-chan."

As soon as Naruto shifted his gaze over to Sakura, Sasuke's dark eyes followed. The pinkette felt her heart skip as Sasuke landed his gaze on her yet again.

"Enjoy the fight?" He asked Sakura directly, a sly smirk on his lips.

"I think she enjoyed more than just the fight," Ino teased, as she eyed her friend.

Naruto grinned slyly. "Ah, is that so?"

Sakura flailed her arms around. "I liked the music, too! So entertaining." she rambled on. She needed to save her dignity, because honestly, Ino was not going to do that for her anytime soon.

Sasuke's smirk only turned more smug as he watched her until a man appeared, dropping a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and drawing his attention. The man with the spiky white hair glanced at the girls briefly before looking at Naruto.

"Sorry, but you'll have to excuse Sasuke." He said simply and without another word, Sasuke walked away with him.

Ino scoffed. "That's it? No 'bye' or 'nice to meet you'?" She placed her hands on her hips. "What an asshole." She turned to face Sakura. "I don't like him."

Sakura looked at Ino. She recognized the fire in the blond's eyes. It screamed, ' _you're too good for him, so forget it.'_ And maybe… she was right. Ino always had good intuition, and she had far more experience with boys than she did. Sakura trusted Ino with her life, but that didn't ease the dull pain she felt in her chest knowing that this handsome boy was instantly denied to her.

"Sorry about Sasuke." Naruto laughed nervously. "He can be a jerk, but he's a real softie, ya know?"

That made Sakura feel a little better, but the hard stare and the way Ino huffed watered it down for her. "Whatever," Ino said.

"Naruto," A man approached the blond and gave the girls a wide grin. He was tall, and had wild, white hair. "Sorry to disturb you and your fans." He grinned until his eyes disappeared. "And oh my, aren't they _cute_."

The two girls laughed nervously, not wanting to be rude. Sakura recognized him as the same man who ushered Naruto out of the octagon after his fight.

"Stop being such a pervert, you old man!" Naruto yelled. "You'll creep them out."

He feigned shock and innocence. "Nothing of the sort!" His voice boomed. "I was just giving them a compliment-" he made a move to reach out and grab Sakura's hand, but he was pulled away by Naruto. Who then proceeded to drag him away and towards the exit.

"Sorry, Ino-chan, but I have to go!" He laughed. "See ya around, Sakura-chan!"

The two girls stood there and waved, still trying to process what had happened. Everything was still so new to Sakura, and very much overwhelming. She scanned the crowd again, and noticed that it was starting to thin. Ino was talking to her. She could see her lips move, but Sakura didn't listen to any of it. She let Ino grab a hold of her hand and pull her out of the stadium.

She couldn't stop thinking about the fight. How calm and confident Sasuke was. How dangerous his profession is. Her brows furrowed together. She hated the probability of seeing him at the hospital, being rushed to the ER. It was bad enough that his face was too handsome to receive a hit. She shook her head to clear it.

These guys were professionals. They know what they're doing, and they train for these things. There was no need to worry. Why was she even worrying? She didn't even know him.

"Earth to Sakura!" Ino flicked her forehead, which caused her to take a step back.

"Ouch! Stop it!" Sakura complained.

"Finally!" Ino rolled her eyes. "Have you been listening to me?"

Sakura laughed and gave her best friend a sheepish look.

"Come sleep over my place? We haven't done that in like, forever."

She nodded her head and laughed. A night with Ino was sure to make her forget all her worries, and the events that transpired that night. Kami knows she didn't need another sleepless night. "Sure, just let me call my mom."

Their sleepover was filled with fun stories, sweets, and a whole lot of laughs. Neither of them even mentioned the boys, or the fight, which brought a lot of relief to the pinkette. However that night when she closed her eyes, she dreamed of a boy with dark hair and eyes.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Yay for another collab! I'm very pleased to be working with iBloo! (Kairi-chan on tumblr)**

 **I'll be posting here while she will be posting on tumblr!**

 **Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy Fighting for You. XD**


	2. Training

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Two-**

Training

* * *

A few days later, Sasuke was just in the middle of his day of training when a loud rumble of laughter broke his concentration and he scowled at the mat under him. He'd been holding himself up in a push-up position for just over an hour. He could go much longer, but with Naruto coming in he didn't even want to continue.

Getting to his feet, Sasuke looked across the large open room, eyes locking on Naruto who was jogging over to him carrying his usual duffle bag full of gear and another bag Sasuke knew had some snacks and drinks.

"Oy, Teme. How long have you been here?" Naruto scoffed out a laugh. "I thought we were meeting now. You look like you've been here for hours!"

"I have." Sasuke said matter of factly as he took the snack bag from Naruto, grabbed a bottle of Gatorade and a protein bar. "Sometimes I like to work in peace."

"You can't get things done without me and you know it!"

Sasuke could only roll his eyes then. Naruto was annoying, but when it came to training, he was a good partner. "Whatever. Get ready. I haven't ran yet."

"Relax. We have all day." Naruto sighed and dropped his duffle bag to stretch. "Besides, I've only been up for an hour."

"That's the best time to get a work out." Sasuke shrugged as he ripped open the protein bar before taking a bite.

Naruto stripped down to his gym shorts and continued to stretch for a moment while Sasuke finished his breakfast and his drink. He was feeling hot, but eager to get some more training done. He knew Naruto was raring to go as well. More than likely, the two of them would end up spending the entire day there.

These days, just as most days for the past ten years, were spent in training. Both of them had spent the better years of their lives preparing for professional fighting, and they'd achieved their goals, while constantly striving to get better, to do more. Sasuke wanted the title. Even if it meant he had to fight Naruto to get there, he would do it. Nothing would stand in his way of reaching his next goal.

Holding the title and defending it would be everything. He'd make more money and his popularity would only grow. He was now at twelve wins, remaining undefeated throughout his professional career so far, and even beforehand. He'd been scouted early on and was signed as soon as he was old enough. But Naruto had been just as good.

Sasuke's fights had all ended the same. He went in with calculating eyes, devising a plan of action against his opponent in a matter of seconds, and that was only if he had to change his premeditated plan. He always had time to research his opponent thoroughly before a match and therefore, he knew all their weaknesses before he ever stepped in that octagon.

Once Naruto was ready the two of them started their run around the gym. It was what got them ready for their harder training. Loosening them while working on their stamina all the while. After a minimum of twenty laps they would move on to something else, depending on their mood.

They didn't have the opportunity to work together every day. Some days their trainers and managers preferred to keep them separated and they couldn't argue. It was usually on the days they were supposed to be resting that they snuck into the gym to train together. It was always planned, but their managers didn't know about it, or they pretended not to anyway.

Those two had been caught on more than one occasion.

Sasuke wouldn't deny that he was addicted to his lifestyle. He did rest, but he never passed up a chance to train, to work out, to get his body stronger. His stamina could always increase. He could always learn something new, and he strived for such things. He had goals, and he would reach those goals. He wanted to be the best so he had to do whatever he could to get there.

"So, Teme… what did you think about Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked with wiggling brows as they were currently in the octagon wrestling each other.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he grabbed a hold of Naruto's arm and flipped around, legs tightening around his upper arm as he pulled tight until Naruto tapped out with a shriek.

"Damn it, Sasuke!" Naruto groaned as Sasuke released him and stood. "I wasn't paying attention you asshole."

"You should always pay attention, Dobe." Sasuke smirked.

Naruto rolled his shoulder and stretched his arm as he shook his head. "Are you going to ignore my question?"

"Probably."

"Sasuke!" Naruto punched him in the arm, though playfully and Sasuke shoved him in return.

"If you're ready to throw hands, get your gloves."

Naruto smirked. "I'm pissed at you now, you don't want me throwing hands. That's a promise."

Sasuke scoffed then. "Don't make me laugh, loser. You couldn't hit me if I let you."

Naruto scowled then before sighing. "Seriously though, you didn't like her… not even a little bit?"

Ignoring Naruto, Sasuke turned around and went to grab his gloves. Naruto was right behind him, getting his own gloves and securing them in place. Sasuke thought back to the night of the fight and smiled to himself when he remembered that girl. She was definitely cute and he'd caught sight of her on the front row after his fight. He'd seen her excitement, and he liked it.

She seemed sweet and innocent and far from his type, not that he had a type. Even if she liked him, he could never date a girl like her. He'd just drag her down. It wasn't like he had time for things like dating anyway, when he spent all his free time training. It was his life. Nothing else mattered to him. She was cute, _definitely_ cute. _Too_ cute really, and cute was just not for him.

That was one battle Sasuke was not prepared for.

"She's Ino's best friend and she's single. It might help you to have a little romance in your life!" Naruto went on as they stood before each other, getting ready for their bout.

"I'm not like you, Dobe. I don't have time to waste on things like that."

"Which is why you're so grumpy all the time. If only you'd get laid for once-"

Sasuke shut him up with a punch to the gut and Naruto wheezed. "Shut up and get serious already." Sasuke spat, annoyed.

"This conversation… is not over bastard." Naruto glared at him before raising his fists and finally their bout began.

Sasuke's favorite part of training was actually getting to fight, and Naruto always got into it with him. Though they never went in trying to do major damage to each other, they worked effectively together and they knew each other well so things always went smoothly. Naruto was a stand-up fighter through and through, and while Sasuke's stand-up game was strong, he was excellent with submissions and he took his opponents down as soon as possible.

Once he had them down it wasn't easy for them to get up, either he would submit them or unleash a vicious ground impound that awarded him with a knockout win, or at least a technical. He was a first round fighter and he wanted to keep things that way. Naruto was good, but if Sasuke ever got him down it was all over.

It was almost too easy sometimes and Sasuke had to chide him often for not being serious enough, because whether it was a real fight or not, Sasuke was going for the win.

Later that evening after they'd finally finished training for the day, they had their showers and then went out for dinner together. While they waited on their food Naruto took the time to call Ino and was so disgustingly gushy as he spoke with her that Sasuke could only cringe. There was never a time that Naruto was more annoying than then.

"Oh yeah, Sasuke and I will be training again tomorrow. Sure, you can definitely come watch!" Naruto laughed and Sasuke clenched his fist, having to will himself not to reach across the table and smack him. "Yeah, yeah… we'll be there all day."

Sasuke facepalmed as he listened until Naruto finally hung up after too much more annoyingness. "What the fuck, Naruto?" Sasuke glowered.

"What?" Naruto asked in confusion, feigning innocence.

"You know I don't train with an audience," Sasuke ground out.

Naruto laughed. "Oh don't worry. This is my girl, she's coming to watch _me_ not _you_ so I'll be the one with the audience."

"She's coming alone?" Sasuke asked a little too curious, unable to help the way his thoughts turned to that pinkette. He wanted to know if she'd be there.

"Why?" Naruto chuckled knowingly, giving Sasuke a suggestive look that had him wanting to slug Naruto more than once. "Hoping she'll bring Sakura-chan along?"

"Hell no. Hoping she doesn't!" He lied. "Like I said, I don't like an audience."

"Sure you don't. ' _Mr. Popularity'_."

One more word and Sasuke would have definitely kicked him right in the shin. Thankfully for Naruto, their food arrived just then and Sasuke was hungry enough to forget everything else but his need to eat.

The food was good, and much needed. By the time Sasuke made it home he was ready to pass out. This was how life was for him. He had no energy for anything else. He collapsed on his bed with a tired groan and a following yawn. Tomorrow would be another early day and much more training. But to his surprise, instead of falling asleep instantly as he normally would, he found his mind drifting to that cute girl.

He found it all too annoying that he could remember her smile too vividly and that he liked how elated she'd been after watching his fight. What was worst of all was that he just knew she was going to show up tomorrow with her friend. If Sasuke ever got a gut feeling, he never bothered shaking it off. His gut feelings were always right.

He sighed and rolled on his back, staring up at his ceiling as he tried to think of anything else. He couldn't lie to himself and say that he wasn't attracted to the girl, but he knew better than anyone that it would never work out. Even if he tried it, she would probably know better than to get involved with a guy like him anyway.

Neither of them could have known however, what would happen in the future.

The next morning came as quickly as any other ever did. Sasuke never felt like he had enough sleep, but he never complained. Even if he woke up tired, he was always excited to get his day started. He showered as he would any other morning, dressed, grabbed his gear and left his home.

He drove straight to the gym, drinking a protein shake on his way. He usually didn't eat anything until Naruto got there and he never ate anything too heavy until his training was finished for the day. He made it to the gym just as the sun was rising. He would have a few hours before Naruto arrived and for that, he was always glad. He liked the peace, just as much as he liked to train with Naruto.

So, his day continued as any other would, at least until Naruto showed up and with him an audience that had Sasuke stiffening. She came. He knew it. He was totally going to kick Naruto's ass later. Even though he was secretly pleased to see that pinkette walking in with that bright smile. He frowned deeply and turned his back to them, as he continued to lift the weights he was working with.

Even with his gut feelings warning him, he just wasn't ready for this day.

"Teme!" Naruto called as they came closer and Sasuke rolled his eyes before setting the weight down and looking back over his shoulder at his annoying friend. "Ino-chan and Sakura-chan came to hang out today." He grinned cheekily before giving Sasuke those suggestive cerulean eyes that had Sasuke wanting to knock him out instantly.

"I see," He muttered, unable to stop himself from glancing at Sakura. Damn his eyes for having a mind of their own! "Good morning." He said and then cursed his mouth for betraying him also.

"Good morning." Sakura smiled.

"For the record, I'm here for Naruto," Ino huffed. "And Sakura's here because we're going to have brunch after." _Totally not for you._ Went unsaid, but Sasuke got the message anyway. What Naruto saw in this girl, he had no idea.

His eyes just didn't want to pull away from Sakura. He watched her for far too long; taking in the way her smile faded as she bit her lip nervously, just as a faint blush tinted her cheeks. He thought then that she may just have been much more than _cute_.

Sasuke stood up, completely ignoring Ino as he closed the distance between he and Naruto to get his breakfast bar and a drink. Naruto handed over the bag and Sasuke got what he desired before his eyes returned to that girl against his will and he caught her checking him out. He found himself smirking, even though he was already so annoyed with himself.

As soon as he finished his protein bar and drank half of his Gatorade, he and Naruto got started with their morning run. Sasuke felt distracted, just knowing that he did in fact have an audience, of one at least, was more than enough to distract him. His eyes were constantly finding her and he hated it. Annoying as it was though, he just couldn't help himself.

He liked looking at her. He was glad she was there and she seemed to like looking at him just as much.

After their laps were finished, Naruto and Sasuke got straight in the octagon. Sasuke wanted to be in there, to be able to block out the eyes on him and keep his eyes on nothing but Naruto. Everything changed inside that ring, all else was forgotten, at least for the time being.

They started by grappling. They worked on it often, for it was Sasuke's strong point, while it was Naruto's weakness. Sasuke was always aiming to get better, while hoping to help Naruto get better as well. Naruto just wasn't smooth and fluid on the ground as Sasuke was, so Sasuke seemed effortless in his movements as he submitted Naruto time and time again, while Naruto could never get him in a single submission.

This annoyed Naruto to no end, but Sasuke was an expert at getting out of any type of hold on the ground. He was fast and strong and he knew what he was doing. He could get out of any position only to put Naruto in one that had him tapping out within seconds and after several times of this happening, Naruto had enough.

"Damn it, Teme!" Naruto hissed in a whisper. "You trying to make me look bad in front of my girl?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and fought back a chuckle. "Don't you think you're making yourself look bad, loser?"

Naruto growled. "Stand up with me and keep talking that smack!"

"No problem." Sasuke hopped to his feet, just as excited to beat Naruto's ass standing up as he was to do it on the ground.

Sasuke's words only aggravated Naruto further and then Sasuke couldn't stop himself from laughing. They were a good match really, but Sasuke would never allow himself to lose to Naruto, not even to help him look good in front of his girl. That just wasn't Sasuke's style.

Plus… he had reason to want to look good himself at the time. Though he would have never admitted that to anyone.

They stood up for a while, going at it easily. Sasuke decided not to be too hard on Naruto and keep it more as simple practice than anything else. Usually their bouts would be more in depth, but today they could tone it down a bit. Naruto was lucky that for once Sasuke was taking pity on him.

It probably wouldn't be happening again.

They stepped out of the octagon and went to where the girls sat to have a drink and a few minutes of rest. Sasuke chugged an entire bottle of water and sat down just before Naruto threw him a cold wet towel and Sasuke laid it around his neck. It was certainly a relief.

"That looked like fun!" Ino rose from the bench and gave them both a grin. "Can I try?"

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged looks. The blond spoke up, rubbed the back of his neck, and laughed nervously. "It's more dangerous than fun. I don't think you should…"

"Oh come on!" Ino batted her long lashes at him. "I mean, you'll go easy on me, right?"

Naruto turned a deep shade of red. Before he could say anything, Sasuke stopped this foolishness.

" _Tch._ For once, the Dobe's right. It's too dangerous."

The girl shot him a glare. But this didn't bother Sasuke one bit. "Try it with a personal _trainer_ , but not with us professional _fighters_."

Sakura got up on her feet and pulled Ino back. "He's got a point, Ino."

The blond did not heed her words. "You wouldn't decline if _Sakura_ asked you to."

It was Sasuke who glared harshly at her then. "Yes I would. This is not fun and games. This is not play time." He told her seriously, finding her more annoying by the moment.

Naruto held his hands up in the air, wanting to placate both of them. "Okay, okay. I think we should all just step away from each other, and forget this, alright?" He grinned.

Ino and Sasuke were still glaring daggers at each other.

"Sakura-chan, help me out here." Naruto whined.

Sakura released a heavy sigh and hooked her arm in Ino's. "Come on, Pig. We'll lose our reservation if we don't go. Sasuke's right. I don't want to see you get hurt." She always meant well, and truly did care for Ino.

Ino pouted and looked away. "Fine." She crossed her arms across her chest. "For the record, I will get a personal trainer. Just so I can punch that smirk off your face, _asshole_."

Sasuke smirked. _As if._

Sakura laughed nervously and pushed her best friend towards the exit. "Bye guys. This was fun!" She grinned.

"Come back anytime, Sakura-chan!" Naruto waved. "Ino-chan, I'll call you!"

The instant they were gone Sasuke sent his glare directly to Naruto. "This girl of yours is an annoying pain in the ass."

Sasuke could hardly be around her for five minutes. He could not understand why Naruto would want to date a girl like her. She wasn't adorable and sweet like Sakura at all. Her attitude alone made her so unappealing that even though she was an attractive girl, Sasuke thought her to be ugly as hell.

"She's usually really nice, ya know? Maybe she's allergic to jerks like you."

"Well, I'm definitely allergic to brats. So just keep her away from me," Sasuke spat.

"Brats? How do you tolerate being around yourself, then?" Naruto laughed.

"Oh, excuse me. I meant bitches." Sasuke's glare darkened. "She's a bitch. I do not like her."

Naruto nodded. "Alright, alright. Don't get your panties in a ruff. You'll need to like her if you want her to help you with Sakura-chan, though."

"What the- who said I want help with Sakura? I don't want anything!" Sasuke declared, now officially ready to kick Naruto's ass.

"Yeah. You don't want it but you _need_ it." Naruto smirked. "You're so anti-social and constipated you couldn't get her even if she was already in love with you."

"Dumbass! I don't want Sakura at all. Stop thinking it because nothing you can say will make me change my mind."

Sasuke was now on the verge of pulling his hair out. Even if he did decide to take the time for a relationship, which he just couldn't see himself doing, he would not want any help from anyone, least of all that annoying blond. He wouldn't lie, he was attracted to Sakura and he couldn't remember the last time he'd even been attracted to a girl like that, but he still had no intention of trying anything with her.

If he did and was unable to get her, that was just fine with him. He already knew he wasn't made for anything like that. If she wanted to be a fan that was all fine and well with him but he didn't need anything more than that, he didn't want anything more than that. He didn't have the time or the patience and no girl could change that. Not even her.

Fired up as he was then, the remaining hours of their training were much more heated than normal. Sasuke worked out harder than he normally did in a feeble attempt to blow off some steam. But, he was still annoyed even by the time they finally left the gym.

All he wanted was a good dinner and bed- and to forget all the annoyances of the day. Naruto could believe whatever he wanted, but Sasuke would remain adamant on his feelings. Besides, even if he did want to do more than look at Sakura, he didn't want to hurt her. He wasn't that type of guy and even if he somehow ended up trying for a relationship, he just knew he would never be able to make her happy.

What was she going to do, watch him train every day and they call it dating? Yeah right. The thought alone had Sasuke sighing. He just didn't have the time and he could tell that Sakura was a girl that deserved time. She deserved happiness and Sasuke just couldn't give that to her.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Thanks so much for reading, and for all reviews!**

 **Hope you all enjoyed the update. We're aiming to update a couple times a week, but we'll see how things go!**

 **Can't wait to see what you think of chapter two. XD**


	3. Curiosities

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Three-**

Curiosities

Sakura watched Ino position her food on the table, and readjusted the small flower vase for the ninth time before finally snapping a picture. The blond smiled, obviously content with her photo and quickly typed up a caption before posting it. She then flipped her phone over, screen first on the table, before finally looking at her again.

"So," Ino propped her elbows on the table and leaned closer to her.

She pushed the chicken around her salad, refusing to meet her gaze. "So what, Pig?" her voice was merely a whisper. She couldn't shake off the way Sasuke looked at her earlier, or the way his muscles rippled as he sparred with Naruto. It was sending all sorts of feelings and sensations into her system that she couldn't explain.

The blond scowled. "What do you think of Sasuke?"

"I don't think he likes you very much." She teased.

Ino stabbed her chicken with her fork and ranted on. "He thinks he's so high and mighty! He's not even that good. I bet Naruto could kick his ass."

Sakura laughed. It was really easy to rile Ino up. And she wasn't going to lie, she liked teasing her best friend because her reactions were always gold. "I know. And he ruined your chances of getting Naruto's hands on you."

"I know!" She screeched. "What a bastard. Now I know why Naruto calls him that all the time." She paused for a while before blurting out, "Oh my gosh! Did you see the latest summer collection? They're adorable!"

This was exactly how things were supposed to be for Sakura. Brunch dates with Ino on Saturday mornings in fancy places while she listened to her rant on about boys and her latest fashion obsessions. After she would go around the fashion district and maybe do some shopping.

Her driver would then fetch her, and bring her home. She would have just enough time to freshen up and have dinner with her parents. Both of them were very busy people, but they always made it a point to spend time with her at least three times a week. It was like a schedule to the both of them. Ino often commented it wasn't normal, but Sakura never paid too much attention to it. She loved her parents, and cherished all the time they could spare for her.

"Darling," Her mother reached up, and Sakura bent down for her mother to kiss her cheek. "You look beautiful."

Sakura smiled until her green eyes disappeared and walked over to her father.

"My precious flower is always beautiful." He cooed. She kissed his cheek and settled into her seat. "Just like your mother," He pointed at her, and then winked at his wife. Who blushed in return.

Sakura laughed and shook her head. Despite being married for twenty-two years, her parents still behaved like two teenagers in love. She eyed her father with a small smile on her face. Even if he was a CEO, he was still pretty humble. And not as scary as people thought him to be. She then shifted her gaze to her mother. The fine lines on her face only emphasized the knowledge she had acquired during her years in medicine. She adored her mother, and so desperately wanted to be a doctor, just like her.

"How's your Shadowing going, darling?" Her mother asked. "Tsunade isn't working you too hard, is she?"

She shook her head and took a sip of water. "No, mother. She's a little scary sometimes, but she's been very nice. Dr. Tsunade even offered more hours for me to stay. Next week, she'll allow me to watch a surgery!" Sakura spoke excitedly, to which her mother's smile only widened.

"She's a good surgeon. I knew she would like you."

Her father crossed his arms and smirked. "Good thing she recognizes talent when she sees it! My daughter will exceed her, I am sure."

Sakura grinned and started to eat. The rest of the lunch was filled with lively conversation. Her father shared funny stories of how he liked to scare the new recruits sometimes, only to end up laughing as soon as they exited his office.

"I think," He said in between laughs. "I think he requested to be moved to a different department!"

The two women laughed. They then moved to the living room for dessert.

"Sakura," Her father pulled out a small box and presented it to her. "I know how much you love strawberries. I heard the first harvest in London was good, so I had some brought for you."

She felt her cheeks color. Strawberry season wasn't even starting yet, and here her father was, air shipping fruit halfway across the world just because he knew his daughter liked them. She opened the box and her green eyes glittered. They were red, and plump.

"Thank you!" She grinned. She eagerly dug into the fruit and ate.

Her father grinned back, and plopped down on the sofa next to her. "This is exactly what I needed. Just a night to spend with my two favorite ladies."

Her mother looked up from her phone and asked Sakura, "Is Ino dating someone new?"

Sakura stopped mid bite. "Yeah, she is." She replied warily. "Why?"

Her mother showed her screen to her husband. "Hey, isn't that MMA fighter? Uhh… I forgot his name."

Sakura froze. She did not want to have this conversation with her parents. It was embarrassing enough that her mother followed Ino on Instagram, and they were both friends on facebook. "Naruto."

"Ah yes!" Her father perked up. "He's a good one. I watched one of his fights in the pantry once. Young and agile." He nodded.

A wave of relief washed over her. At least her father slightly approved of Naruto. Slightly.

"Have you met this boy, dear?" Mebuki asked.

Ah, she was dead. "N-no," She lied. "Ino likes to talk about him a lot, though. I think I waved at him through facetime once."

Both of her parents gave her a look, but let it pass. "No boyfriends until you graduate medical school." Her father said with a stern stare. To which, she merely nodded meekly.

Her mother laughed and held on to her father's arm. "Sakura's old enough, don't you think? She's got a good head on her shoulders."

Sakura was thankful for her mother's trust. But she knew her father always got into a huff about these things. "Exactly, Mebuki. Which is why I'm sure boys would just fall all over her!"

Sakura laughed half heartedly. This wasn't exactly the case, but it had happened on more than one occasion.

After taking a shower, Sakura lay in her bed and scrolled through her phone. She finally saw the selfie she took with Naruto at the gym earlier. She sighed and placed her phone down. She stared at her ceiling and contemplated how her life had been going so far.

Maybe Ino was right. She needed to get out more and live. But how could she with her overprotective parents and high expectations? Sakura groaned and turned to her side. She picked up her phone and scrolled through her instagram feed some more. She stared at Ino's photo with Naruto again and saw that she had tagged him. She clicked on his username and looked through his profile.

It appeared to be a personal account, and yet he had more than a hundred thousand followers. There were no photos of Ino on his feed, though. It was mostly professional photos taken during fights, and some videos of him training. There were occasional funny photos of himself, and selfies with his manager. And then, her breath hitched. It was a photo of Naruto and Sasuke.

Without thinking, she read the caption and hastily clicked on the tag with Sasuke's name. He also had a lot of followers, but her face fell when she realized it was his professional account. The feed was clean, and it contained photos from his fight, videos of him training, and snippets of interviews. It barely contained any casual photos of him, which made her frown.

She wasn't going to lie. She repeatedly watched the videos of him doing push ups, and pull ups. She adored the way his muscles rippled. Sakura also enjoyed listening to his voice during the interviews. He often gave one word responses, and smirked often. Which she enjoyed. She found herself laughing when someone asked him about his friendship with Naruto.

"We see you and Naruto train together often. I heard your managers were good friends. What do you think about him?"

Sasuke smirked. "He's a loser." came his automatic response.

"Aren't you afraid you may have to fight him one day? I believe you two belong to the same weight division."

He shrugged. "If it comes, it comes. It won't affect me, or my standing. I'm still going to beat the Dobe anyway."

Sakura laughed. His confidence was mostly taken for being cocky. She wasn't going to lie, he was cocky, but there seemed to be so much more to Sasuke than that. Plus, since she had already seen Naruto and Sasuke's exchanges first hand, she knew he was bluffing. They were both good friends, and it seemed like the media ate it up like hotcakes.

She read through the comments, and through more of his photos. She found a link of a compilation of his best fights. She clicked it and her phone redirected to Youtube. Sakura found herself holding her breath with each second that passed. All of the videos were less than five minutes long, and that was already including his entrance. The cut version, at least. Sakura couldn't take the idea of someone punching that face. It was too pretty to take a hit.

Luckily, he almost never received them. Sasuke was quick, and dodged gracefully. It almost looked like he was dancing. His face was mostly nonchalant, but there was an unmistakable glint of fire in his eyes. He was in it to win, and he always did.

After watching nearly all of the fights on his youtube channel, she moved to watching other fighters. She couldn't believe how brutal these fights could get. She felt all too relieved that Sasuke never received a fatal blow.

"Oh my god, is that blood on the mat?" She muttered to herself as she pulled her phone a little closer. The guy kicked him in the face and sent blood splattering. He fell on the mat with a thud. "Oh my god!" She screamed. Sakura was never one to be fazed by blood. It was next to normal for her. But the thought that people actually placed themselves in situations to get knocked into the next week baffled her.

"He could be a model with how hot he looks." She muttered, as she rolled on to her other side. She closed the Youtube app and went back to his instagram. Once she got bored with that, she went to google and searched up his name.

Sasuke Uchiha.

Even his name sent thrills through her body. After reading his wikipedia page, she checked the time. It was already passed midnight. She set her alarm and put her phone away to her side table. All of her stalking suddenly made her feel so tired.

"Why do I do this to myself?" She whispered as she pulled her blankets to cover her lithe body. Tomorrow would be another day. Another day where she would start her routine again. But she half hoped that she would get a little disruption, and an invitation to come and watch him train again.

Sakura started her day early with a yoga class near the hospital. She always liked attending, as it helped prep her up for her day. It was nice to sweat and practice both physical and mental discipline before her day actually started. After she took her shower, her driver fetched her and drove her to the hospital.

She walked through the halls and smiled warmly at the staff who had recognized her as Tsunade's ward. She usually shadowed her from nine in the morning until three in the afternoon. Doing hospital work always made Sakura forget everything else that went on in her life. It was one reason why she liked being there in the first place. Other than helping people of course. She always knew that helping was one of her life's callings.

During lunch, she decided to eat at the pantry, instead of staying at Tsunade's office. The television was on, and the other hospital staff gathered around to watch some reruns. Sakura perked up as soon as she heard his voice.

"I train hard. It's only natural that I win."

Her green eyes were glued to the screen, completely forgetting the meal in front of her. She caught herself smiling. She had already watched this interview last night, but it still sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach to hear him again.

—-

After her hospital shift, she decided to spend some time for herself. She saw Ino's Instagram story that she was spending some time with Naruto. She didn't want to bother her, so she walked to the park across the street and found herself a tree to sit under. She had two more hours before she had to meet Ino and their other friends for dinner. Sakura was half hoping she would bring Naruto along. He seemed like he would get along with their group of friends. She then found her thoughts drifting back Sasuke's smoldering gaze. She shook her head to clear it and pulled a book out of her bag.

She had had enough of him invading her thoughts for the day. For now, she wanted to spend time getting lost in another world. Sakura opened the book and began reading.

—

"Forehead! You're late!" Ino chided.

Sakura laughed nervously and took a seat next to Shikamaru. "Sorry, I lost track of time." Her green eyes then roved around to everyone at the table. Tenten, Choji, Shikamaru, Ino and Naruto were there.

"Hey, you're here!" She greeted him.

Naruto grinned, making his whiskered cheek rise, until his blue eyes disappeared. "Hi Sakura-chan. I didn't really have a choice, ya know?"

The whole table erupted in laughter. Everyone knew Ino probably threatened him to join, but judging by seeing no damage on either of them, Naruto had come on his own free will.

Dinner was filled with laughs and stories. She rarely got to see Tenten since She was busy with her summer job, and Shikamaru and Choji were helping out with their family businesses. It was all the more reason for her to cherish these moments with everyone. But as the laughs died down, the food all gone (mostly thanks to Choji), and the bill paid (courtesy of Ino), they all shuffled out of the restaurant and said their goodbyes to each other.

"When can I go and watch you train again?" Ino asked Naruto.

"I have a fight coming up, so I'm a little busy. I'll have to ask if you can come when my coaches are around."

Sakura watched as Ino pouted at Naruto, who then grinned. "I'll ask and then I'll call you, alright?"

She brightened up. "Yeah! Hey, can Sakura come, too?"

"Sure! But just so you know, Teme won't be there."

The pinkette turned bright red and flailed her arms around. "It's fine! I don't want to intrude."

Naruto and Ino laughed. "Hey, it's no problem. I can ask Kaka-sensei if you can. But as soon as I get a free day with Sasuke, I'll let you two know, alright?" He kissed Ino's forehead before walking away.

Sakura watched him leave. The hope of seeing Sasuke again made her heart soar. She was more than excited to see him again.


	4. Attraction

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Four-**

Attraction

* * *

Time was flying by for Sasuke just as it always did. Being busy as he was, the days were gone as quickly as they started. His rest was minimal, because he was always his most focused on his training. Today he was working with his coaches. They were strict but damn good at their jobs.

Everything in Sasuke's life was done per order or suggestion from his coaches, and his manager Kakashi as well. He even had to eat a certain way, which he was perfectly fine with. Sasuke preferred healthy foods more than anything so he had no argument when it came to his diet. He was however supposed to sleep a certain amount of hours, this was the one thing he ignored the majority of time.

Sometimes it did catch up with him and he'd have to take an entire day off, and there was nothing he hated more than that. He knew he should heed his coaches suggestions when it came to everything, because they were always right, but he just couldn't help himself. He always got home late and he always woke up at the crack of dawn. He never needed an alarm, no matter how much sleep he got, he always woke at the same hour.

His trainers knew just how to work him, and most of the time they worked on his weaknesses. Sasuke wasn't a boxer, but he could stand up with the best of them if he ever had the chance, and his vigorous training could be thanked for that. He could dodge and block with ease and while one of the things he hadn't been doing was checking kicks, his coaches had him working on that often because people could notice it and use it against him in a fight.

Sasuke didn't want anyone to have any kind of opportunity to use anything against him in a fight. While Sasuke had plenty of faith in his abilities, he knew that he could always get better and that's why he always took his training so seriously.

His coaches knew he wasn't resting like he was supposed to be, today just happened to be one of the days that he was feeling exhausted, which wasn't good for him. They'd been hounding him about it all day and it was so annoying. Sasuke never snapped at them though, because of course they were right. He just kept quiet and worked hard to keep up with them, but he was definitely feeling drained.

"Hold everything!" Kakashi called as he suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Sasuke dropped down from the bar he'd been doing pull-ups on to turn and look at his manager. "I have news."

"A fight?" Sasuke asked, a grin tugging his lips apart instantly. Nothing was more exciting.

"You got it." Kakashi grinned back. "You have only two months to prepare. You need to check weight because I'm sure you've gained since your last fight. But, you still have plenty of time to worry about it. For this opponent, your ground game will do you good. He requested the fight himself, because he thinks you've kept getting lucky and I knew you'd be more than willing to accept."

"Damn right." Sasuke nodded firmly, already eager to step inside that octagon and show the bastard just how lucky he was. "Pull him up and let me see a fight."

Kakashi spent the next several minutes showing Sasuke different fights and telling him everything he knew about the guy. He was eighteen and two at the time, so he had more professional experience than Sasuke did, but that didn't mean much. Most guys that Sasuke fought did have more experience than him and that was just fine with him.

Just looking at the guy had him ready. Knowing a fight was coming up and having to wait so long for it made him much more anxious than just waiting around for one. Still, he was pumped now and ready to get back to training. The guy wanted to fight Sasuke when his weakness was his ground game. He was a stand-up fighter, a boxer who thought he'd have the advantage but Sasuke was nothing short of confident that he already had this win in the bag.

"Well, let's get back to work!" Sasuke said to his coaches excitedly, but they just shook their heads at him.

"That's enough for today, you should go home and rest."

"I don't need to rest." Sasuke insisted, but excited as he was, he was tired. The look his coaches gave him had him relenting without further complaint. "Fine."

Sasuke went for his shower, smirking to himself. He was elated to have secured another fight so soon. That last win had certainly drawn more attention to him and at this rate, he could find himself fighting for the title before he knew it. It would be nice and he was indeed hopeful.

The following week Sasuke's sponsors had him taking a day off for publicity. It came with the job but Sasuke found it to be so annoying. He didn't tell anyone that though. He went without argument, where he had to deal with an entire photo-shoot and an interview for his upcoming fight. It was all a pain in the ass, but worth it in the end.

Sasuke was grinning to himself when he found out that they were calling him ' _the prodigy'._ Naruto was definitely going to be jealous. Not that it was Sasuke's fault. Sasuke had been telling the dobe for ages that he needed to calm down and think more when it came to his fights, but Naruto didn't listen to even his manager, much less his coaches.

The photo-shoot was definitely more drawn out than necessary. He would be on the front page of a magazine, but he couldn't see why they would need to take a few dozen pictures in different poses. He was there for hours before the interview even started. This kind of stuff was certainly more tiring to him than any form of training.

The interview was a lot more simple. He knew enough about his opponent to talk the perfect amount of shit to get him riled up. He remained confident and stoic while he said his part, assuring the interviewer that he would win his fight and in the first round just as he had with all his previous fights. When they asked if he had any concerns he honestly answered with a no. Sasuke wasn't concerned at all. He knew he was capable of doing just what he wanted to do.

He'd never been more happy to leave a place as he was this day. He felt as if he'd been through war after all that. He could only hope he could get something to eat and go straight to bed and then the next morning he could get right back to his training.

Publicity was important, but not as important as his training. He hoped to have his opponent pissed enough that he wasn't coming into the fight with a clear mind as Sasuke would be. To him, it didn't matter what anyone said about him to try and get him angry. He would just smirk at the attempt and come in as cool and calm as he always was.

Kakashi took him out after the interview, wanting to buy him dinner and Sasuke didn't argue. He wanted to eat any and everything these days, but his special diet prevented him from having most things. The amount of water he was drinking was unreal, so much that sometimes he just wanted to throw up. He hadn't realized it but he'd gained over ten pounds after his last fight and so now he had to drop down. He was trying to do it slowly without killing himself in the last couple of weeks but still, the water and then the sweat was his worst enemy.

Sasuke had steak, salad and fruit. As long as he stuck to his water diet his coaches had him on, and only ate the recommended foods, he could eat as much as he wanted, and he certainly ate his fill. It was all too easy for him to gain weight though, and being just barely in his weight class as it was, he had to be careful.

"Where does it all go?" Kakashi mused as Sasuke finished up his plate before draining the remainder of his glass of water.

Sasuke shrugged then. "You're supposed to know these things."

"So, how do you feel?"

"I'm ready." Sasuke told him meaningfully.

"Not about the fight, Sasuke. About you getting your first cover. It's about time, don't you think?"

"Yeah." Sasuke sighed but he felt indifferent about the whole thing. "I just hope this doesn't turn into something I have to do on a regular basis because I need to be training."

Kakashi could only laugh in return. He couldn't have asked for a better kid to manage.

Sasuke had been a natural when it came to fighting for the majority of his life. Even when he took karate as a kid, he stayed on top and that's just how he liked it. Kakashi had scouted him during some pride fighting when he was seventeen. The day Sasuke turned eighteen, he got him to go pro.

This was a dream come true for Sasuke, and he'd always respected Kakashi a great deal. He was thankful that he had such a great manager and great coaches as well. His career could only move forward and him do better with such a great team backing him.

That night, Sasuke slept so well that for the first time in a long, long time, he woke up a couple hours later than normal. He wasn't angry about it. Today he was free of his coaches. He'd be training with nobody but Naruto and it would only be the two of them. It had been a while, so Sasuke was looking forward to it. He'd only found out the night before during dinner, but he'd called Naruto on his way home and they'd made their plan to meet up today.

After Sasuke had his morning shower, he got on his way to the gym, really eager to get a good work out since he'd spent the entire previous day doing that publicity nonsense. Surprisingly, Naruto was already at the gym when Sasuke arrived. It was a first, but Sasuke knew it was only because he'd overslept that morning.

When Sasuke entered the gym he not only found Naruto chatting with his manager, Jiraiya. But, he also found an audience of two that he hadn't been expecting. It had been a long time since he'd laid eyes on Sakura. He'd been so wrapped up in his upcoming fight that she hadn't even crossed his mind, but now that she was there, his eyes were locked on her.

He was kind of glad she was there. It was nice to see her, so nice that he hadn't thought the first time about that annoying friend of hers. Sakura's eyes followed him, watching his every move just as he watched hers. The attraction was mutual, it was obvious, but it still didn't mean anything aside from the fact that they both liked to look.

"Teme, you're late. What happened?" Naruto questioned him in confusion. Sasuke was _never_ late.

"Overslept for once." Sasuke admitted, his obsidian eyes still locked on the pinkette. "Good morning, Sakura." He said, a smirk tugging at his lips with the way she fidgeted under his scrutiny.

A light pink dusted her cheeks, and she smiled. "Good morning, Sasuke-kun."

 _Sasuke-kun._ He liked that.

"Have you had breakfast?"

This wiped the smirk off of Sasuke's face. He hadn't. He normally waited for Naruto to come to practice, grab a protein bar, and then go on training. Instead of looking over to his friend, he was surprised his mouth went on autopilot. "No."

Sakura giggled. Her green eyes sparkled with a knowing, and fond look. "I thought so."

If Sasuke was surprised earlier, this most certainly caught him off guard. His dark eyes followed her hands as she fished a jar out of the paper bag she was holding. "I made you something."

He narrowed his eyes on the jar. It perplexed him that he didn't know what it contained, even if the jar was made of clear glass. There was a white, and thick substance inside. He could see oats, chia seeds, almonds, walnuts, a few berries, and other things he didn't recognize in the mix all mashed together.

She laughed. It was the best thing Sasuke's heard all week. "It's muesli. Have you ever tried it?"

He quirked his brow up and tilted his chin a little higher. "No. What is it?"

Her green eyes glittered. This was obviously something she enjoyed talking about. "It's a mix of almond milk, yogurt, an array of nuts like almonds, walnuts, chia and sunflower seeds, and _oh!"_ her enthusiasm was a little overwhelming, but he found it adorable. "I also tossed in some dried apples and goji berries in there. Do you eat those?" She held out the jar for him to take, her whole face was practically glowing.

It was hard enough to keep up with all of the ingredients she was listing down, but he couldn't help but stare at her. After a while, he tore his gaze away from her face and down to the jar in her small, dainty hands. How could he resist when she looked so cute?

"Hey, Teme, are you allowed to eat all of those things?" Naruto asked. "I heard from Kaka-sensei that you were put on a strict dietary-"

He took the jar from Sakura's hands. "Shut up, you loser."

"Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't know," Sakura began apologizing. "I heard from Naruto that all you ever ate were those protein bars, so I thought you would want to try something a little different…" She rambled on, but Sasuke was already opening the lid.

Sakura stopped her babbling and watched as he stuck his index finger in the jar, and scooped out a bit of the concoction she made. He raised his finger to his lips, opened his mouth, and licked the muesli off slowly. His smoldering gaze never left her eyes.

She swallowed hard, her eyes averting from his nervously to which he smirked.

"Eww! Teme, stop being such a pervert!" Naruto pretended to throw up, and Ino seconded the motion.

Jiraiya laughed heartily. He spoke to Naruto a little more, who couldn't get his hands off Ino. Therefore, he dragged her away with him and Jiraiya, leaving their two friends behind.

Sakura sat down on the bench next to Sasuke and watched him eat. It was a good thing she brought a spoon with her or else her heart may not have made it.

Sasuke hated sweets, but for this girl, he could suck it up and eat anything. To his surprise, this muesli wasn't bad and it appeared that Sakura had put a lot of thought into it. While the taste was a bit sweet for his liking and a few of the ingredients were on his not to eat list, the food itself was healthy enough and he finished the entire jar gladly.

Though he may have regretted it once his training commenced.

"Thanks for that." He told her, a soft smile coming to his lips as he set the jar next to him on the bench.

She regarded him carefully before finally asking, "Was it really okay for you to eat all of that?"

"Well I wasn't going to let it go to waste." He said simply. He would digest a bit before doing his work out.

"Did you like it?" She smiled.

"I did. It was a little sweet for me but I liked it." He told her, wanting to be honest.

Sakura tilted her head to the side. "You don't like sweets, Sasuke-kun?"

"Not usually, no." And yet, he liked her.

She nodded and faced the octagon. "I'll make you something else next time, then. Do you like cinnamon?"

"It depends." He said, though he already knew that if she brought him anything, he would eat it. Even if he wasn't supposed to. "I really like high protein things. It fits my diet. I usually have a shake first thing in the morning and then a bar whenever Naruto gets here."

She grinned. "You're really disciplined. I admire that. I would hate needing to stick to a diet. I love my sweets too much." She laughed. "It's enough of a struggle for me to consistently attend my yoga classes."

Sasuke's brows rose then. _Yoga?_ His interest in her had piqued at her words. "How long have you been taking classes?" He asked, needing to know because he was far too curious.

"A few years now," She mused. "It really helps me get good sleep, and it raises your immune system, too!" It was amusing how she spewed out random facts. "I always liked strength exercises better than cardio."

"Interesting." Sasuke mused, thinking aloud. "However, cardio is important, especially in my line of work."

She hummed, contemplating his answer. "Well, in mine, it would probably be surviving for hours on end with nothing but cups of coffee and cookies." She grinned so wide that her eyes closed. He wasn't so sure if that was a joke or not but that sounded… tedious.

"That sounds horribly unhealthy." Sasuke sighed. "What is it that you do?" He asked, finding himself wanting to know more about this girl.

"I'm a med student," She replied automatically. "Though now that it's summer, I'm shadowing Dr. Tsunade. Sometimes I do Scribe work to get some extra cash."

Sasuke nodded, feeling as if her answer was very fitting. "That's a lot of school." He muttered.

"A whole lot of school, and not enough fun." Ino said.

Sasuke grimaced. The bitch was back.

"Teme, you ready to go?"

Sasuke stood and stretched for a moment. Taking the time to speak with her for a few moments had given him time for his food to settle. He was ready.

"Let's go." Sasuke said and with one last glance at Sakura, he tugged his shirt off and then started to run.

"What a show off." Naruto smirked and pulled his shirt off too. He ran a little faster to match Sasuke's pace and then evened it out.

Ino joined her on the bench and leaned back on the wall. "So…"

Sakura's eyes followed Sasuke around the gym. Was it even possible to have the perfect human body? "What is it, Pig?"

Ino smirked. "Don't even try, Forehead. What were you two talking about?"

She rolled her eyes and tore her gaze off Sasuke to look at her best friend. "Muesli and yoga." As funny as it sounds, it was the truth. She found it interesting that Sasuke would appreciate such things, or even just let her talk about it. It seemed like there was more to him than just being a pretty face and fighting.

It made her insides twist at the prospect of coming to visit him again, and have him eat something she made herself. The way he looked at her, and listened to the things she was saying actually convinced her that he was interested in knowing more about her.

She scoffed. "That is the lamest lie I have ever-oh shit, are you _serious?"_

Sakura laughed and nodded. She couldn't believe it, either.

"Yoga and muesli," Ino mused. "Are you sure he isn't a chick?"

"Naruto spends a great deal of time with him." Sakura shrugged. A sly grin crept up her face and leaned in closer to Ino. "Are you sure they aren't dating?"

Ino jumped off her seat. "Don't you even go there!"

The pinkette threw her head back and laughed even louder. She knew it would tick the blond off. And for a while, she forgot that Sasuke and Naruto were even in the same vicinity. In her mirth, she failed to realize a pair of dark eyes watching her intently.

Sasuke and Naruto were only just finishing up their running when he overheard Ino reminding Sakura that they would lose their reservation if they didn't take their leave. Naruto heard as well, and Sasuke was right next to him as they jogged up to the girls to say goodbye.

"I'll call you tonight." Naruto told Ino as Sasuke's eyes locked with Sakura's.

She was always watching him and he found it rather enjoyable.

"We'd stay longer but I made this reservation two weeks ago." Ino was blabbering on and Sasuke's ears perked up when she mentioned the fancy high-dollar restaurant they'd be going to.

He'd only been there once when his manager took him there to celebrate a big win. It was expensive, in fact it was the nicest place around. He couldn't believe those two were going there just for brunch.

"Thanks for coming, and for breakfast." Sasuke told Sakura softly. In a way, he wished he could see her more often. Even if he couldn't date her, he liked her being around.

Sakura only smiled angelically in response, blushing lightly as she and Ino made their way out of the gym. Sasuke turned to Naruto who was grinning and still staring at the door the girls had just left through.

"Do they always eat at such nice places?" Sasuke asked curiously. It wasn't like he had plans to ask Sakura out or anything, but he felt he needed to know what type of places she liked. For future references.

"Yeah, they're both loaded so it makes sense. Didn't you know?"

Sasuke's brows pulled together as he thought this over. He knew next to nothing about Sakura. "What's her full name?" He asked.

Naruto looked at him as if he had grown an extra head. "Sakura Haruno."

"As in _Haruno Enterprises_?" Sasuke questioned in disbelief.

"That's the one," Naruto replied. "Her dad is a big wheel CEO and her mom is a doctor."

Damn. There appeared to be much more to Sakura than he first thought. The fact that her family had money didn't bother him. He was pretty loaded himself. The more fights he was in, the more money he made and his next fight was worth another twenty grand. Soon enough, he could be on top making millions, so money was nothing to him. But knowing that Sakura's parents were both seemingly high-end people, he felt that she was even more untouchable than before.

He shook his head and scowled. "How do you know this?" Seriously. Naruto wasn't the sharpest tool in the box, and yet he seemed to be far more in the now than he was. It was irritating.

The blond gave him a questioning look, and said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, "I follow her on Instagram."

 _Instagram…_ Sasuke's brows pulled together as he pondered this. If there was so much to learn about Sakura on instagram, then he needed to be in on it. "Show me."

"Ooh. You're _so_ interested. I knew it." Naruto giggled until Sasuke smacked him in the back of his head.

"Quit being a dobe and show me already."

"Damn, fine just relax!" Naruto growled, though he was still slightly chuckling as he jogged to his bag and got his phone.

Sasuke joined him, looking over his shoulder just as he went to the app on his phone. Naruto's head turned and he glared playfully at his friend. "I'm not even on it yet, do you need to hover?"

"Shut the hell up," Sasuke snapped, his ears turning red as he backed off slightly. He just wanted to know what was so special about instagram that Sakura would have so much information there.

"Okay, come back." Naruto was grinning all too suggestively as Sasuke returned and peeked at his phone. Naruto appeared to be on her feed and scrolling through different photos of her.

It was almost ridiculous how adorable she was, but Sasuke was not about to complain. "Just give me the damn thing!" Sasuke insisted, snatching Naruto's phone out of his hands before he could argue and walking away so he could stalk in private.

"Hey, asshole! Get your own!"

Sasuke just ignored him completely as he went about looking through all her pictures. They seemed endless, so many of her alone but there were many of her and Ino as well. She was also with other friends and even her parents. Some pictures weren't of her at all, there was pictures of books, coffee and cakes. Sasuke started scrolling faster through all those, including some of the beach and sunsets. He wanted to see her, not all this other nonsense.

He halted the scrolling when he found her again. She appeared to be doing yoga and the position she was in had him swallowing hard. Oh, he'd definitely like to tag along and watch her in all those positions. She was fit and he liked that-he liked that _a lot_. The more yoga positions he saw her in, the hotter it got in the gym and he was starting to think more and more about the possibility of asking her out.

Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea. When he really thought about it, he could definitely spare some time for her. She seemed more than willing to come hang out while he trained so they could see each other often enough. His grip on Naruto's phone tightened as his thoughts went further and further to the darkside before he shook them away.

She was definitely looking good though, and he definitely liked her. He would be getting instagram after this because he needed to follow her, to see more recent things she'd post and hopefully, she would follow him as well.

"Damn, Teme. Just how long are you going to stalk her? We're not done training, ya know?"

"Do you ever shut up?" Sasuke snapped as he tossed Naruto's phone back to him and Naruto ran around nervously until he caught it safely. "Let's get to it then."

…

That night once Sasuke got home, he pulled up his professional instagram. He hadn't been on the thing in close to a year. His manager had access to it as well and was the main one who used it. He posted things regularly about Sasuke, whether it be photos of him during a fight, or videos of him during training.

Sasuke didn't really care about what was on there, it was all a publicity thing, but as he checked things out he found that he had many, _many_ notifications from a certain Sakura Haruno. His brow raised as he laid in bed and found that she had liked nearly every post that was on his account.

She had to be just as interested as he was if he wasn't the only one doing some stalking.

Wanting to follow her, but privately, Sasuke went about creating a personal account. He added a photo and put in only the necessary information to get started. He wouldn't have done this for anyone else, but then Sakura… well, she brought him breakfast.

For some reason, making the personal account and trying to figure everything out was not boding well for him. He was becoming annoyed as he continued to work at the app until well into the night. He'd been so busy with it that he hadn't even had a chance to find and follow Sakura yet and this had him rolling his eyes and giving up for the night. He'd made the mistake of staying up late and now he only had a few hours to sleep before his morning would come.

...

Sasuke was cursing everything in existence as he made his way to the gym, late again. Once more, Naruto had arrived before him and Sasuke was still distracted with this whole instagram thing even on his way inside. He was still having trouble and had yet been able to follow Sakura. This thing was becoming more annoying by the moment.

"Oy, Teme! Can you believe this? Somebody is pretending to be you!"

Sasuke scowled at Naruto's words upon his entry. He had no idea what he was going on about. "What, Dobe?"

"On instagram!" Naruto insisted, waving his phone-free hand around as if to emphasize his seriousness. He was looking at his phone as if a life or death situation was happening.

Sasuke just rolled his eyes as he continued to go through his own instagram, trying out different things.

"What the hell?" Naruto shouted. "This bastard is on a live feed and he's in a gym that looks just like ours!"

Sasuke's brow raised as he found himself on some kind of camera that he hadn't meant to go to. He moved his phone around as if it would somehow help him figure out just what the hell was going on.

"Teme? Is that you?" Naruto whirled around from where he sat, eyes wide and mouth agape. "This is you, what the hell?"

"You're giving me a headache!" Sasuke hissed, trying hard to ignore Naruto and figure out what he was doing.

"You made an instagram, finally… and you have no idea what you're doing." Naruto laughed loudly. "Hand it over, let me help you out."

Sasuke scowled at his friend but relented, handing over his phone. Hopefully Naruto would know more about it than he himself would, he should since he apparently used it so regularly.

"Thank kami you don't have any followers here yet and nobody seen that embarrassing live feed!" Naruto laughed as he went through Sasuke's instagram until he seemed satisfied. "I gotta help you here, you need way more pictures and you should totally follow Sakura-chan- _wait…_ " Naruto's eyes flickered to him, a wicked grin tugging at his lips. "Did you actually make this instagram just so you could follow her?"

"I most certainly did not!" Sasuke shot down his observation quickly. There was no way in hell he'd admit to that. "I just thought it would be good… for publicity."

"You already have an account for that." Naruto mused. "You don't have to say it Teme, I already know. You totally like Sakura-chan. You'll be in love before you know it!"

"Just give me my damn phone and shut up for once!" Sasuke groaned as he got his phone back before calming down instantly. "Did you follow her for me?"

Naruto's laughter roared throughout the gym and Sasuke's mood soured even further. "How obvious do you want to be? You need to wait a few days, build up some followers and follow some other people first or she's going to think you're a weirdo."

Sasuke scoffed but figured Naruto was probably right. He didn't want her thinking that he made an instagram just to follow her… even if that was indeed the case. He opened his duffel bag and dumped his phone in.

Naruto was already doing some stretches, but Sasuke was still standing in front of his bag. "Teme, you should start stretching. We're already late enough as it is."

His face colored up until his ears. "How do I even follow her?"

Naruto blinked a few times before laughing again. "I'll teach you if you can beat me today."

Sasuke smirked. "That won't be a problem, Dobe."

Naruto was crying for mercy before the second round even began.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Thanks for reading! Sorry for the long wait!**

 **We hope you enjoy the new chapter. XD**


	5. Plans

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Five-**

Plans

* * *

"Sakura! Where are those charts?"

The pinkette nearly jumped out of her skin and dropped her phone on the desk. Ino-pig had been texting her non-stop about Naruto and other typical Ino related topics. Sakura usually had enough self control not to mind her phone during work hours, but when her best friend was giving details about potentially being able to watch Naruto train more for his big fight, and talking to Jiraiya personally, it seemed a lot more important than printing and delivering medical charts. She hastily groped around her desk and grabbed the clipboard before running up towards Dr. Senju.

"Here it is, Shishou," she held the clipboard up, internally thanking kami that she had enough sense to print and prepare it earlier before Ino had the chance to distract her. Her mentor took the chart and read over quickly. She flipped the page and gave it a once over before giving it back to Sakura.

"Good. Take this to Shizune and then you can go."

"Hai!" Sakura did as she was told and left Tsunade's office.

She made her way down the corridor. As she walked, she thought of the last text Ino sent her. It was an invitation—more of a demand—for her to come to dinner that night with her, Naruto, and Sasuke. It would be at a local ramen joint that Naruto had been raving about. Sakura smiled to herself. Ino must really like Naruto for her to agree to eat somewhere that isn't one of her favorites, _and willingly eat carbs._

Her giddiness disappeared the moment her thoughts drifted to Sasuke. Her stomach twisted, and she felt her heart flutter. Sakura clutched the clipboard to her chest tighter and bit her lower lip. Sasuke was an enigma to her—to the whole world. He never said much, even in interviews. He had no personal social media that she could find, and the only personal information she found about him was on his Wikipedia page. She sighed and dropped her shoulders.

"I guess there's no other way for me to know about him," she muttered to herself.

Going to dinner somewhere new sounded like a good way to unwind, but thinking that Sasuke would be there somehow made her feel a little bit more stressed than usual. She didn't really know what to talk about, and she most certainly didn't want him to think she was boring. It was hard to read him. He was always looking at her, but she couldn't pinpoint the reason why.

 _Could he be interested in me?_ She wondered. Sakura blushed at the thought and shook her head to clear it. How silly. What would he like about her, anyway? Well, on the other hand, what would he _not_ like about her? Ino was always going on and on about how fit and sexy she was. Sakura was also sure she was at least above average when it came to looks. She was also a head turner, because of her pink hair, that is. She rolled her eyes and thought some more. She was smart. That much, she was confident in. Perhaps she was too smart, recalling all of the guys who gave up on courting her because they were far too intimidated by her.

"I'm heading out!" Sakura said to her mom.

"Where are you going, dear?" She asked.

"Uh, just going to have dinner with Ino," she smiled, effectively leaving out the other two who were expected to be in attendance. "I won't stay out too late, I promise."

Her mother chuckled. "Alright, darling. Have fun."

She smiled sweetly at her mother before dashing out of the house in a hurry. She was just thankful that her father wasn't around to hear her leave. She entered her red sports car and drove to the restaurant in silence. It wasn't so hard to find the place, despite being located at a small side street near a busy shopping district. Although it was hard to find parking. She looked at the clock on her dashboard. It read a quarter past seven. She was already late. Sakura groaned before going around the street one more time to try her luck again.

"There we go!" She exclaimed excitedly to herself. Sakura parked and walked over to the restaurant. In her haste, she wasn't able to check her phone since she left her home.

Walking into the restaurant, she immediately spotted Sasuke and Naruto sitting across from each other, but no Ino. She scrunched her eyebrows together as she approached the pair. It wasn't like her best friend to be late. She pulled out her phone and saw that there were no messages from her either. That was strange.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned and greeted her warmly.

Sasuke nodded in greeting. "Sakura."

She was so engrossed with thinking about how uncharacteristic it was of her best friend that she didn't realize she hadn't even greeted them when she asked, "where's Ino?"

Naruto looked at her and blinked. "Isn't she with you?"

This made Sakura worry. "No, she isn't. I thought she was already here." She looked at her phone again, and it was devoid of any new messages from her.

"Ah, hold on, I got a text!" Naruto exclaimed. He squinted at his phone before jumping up to his feet. "I got to go, Ino's got a flat tire. I need to help her out." He extended his arm across the table with his palm up. "Teme, give me your car keys."

"What?" Sasuke glared at Naruto. "Why?"

The blond rolled his eyes. "Because we agreed to take your car here, so I left mine at the gym. I need a car to get to Ino. Do I need to spell everything out for you, bastard?"

"Tch." Sasuke crossed his arms across his chest, and denied Naruto's request. To which the blond did not respond kindly. They continued to bicker for another minute as Sakura watched on. Another minute passed, and she could no longer take it.

"Stop it!" She chided the two of them. "Ino needs help, and I need you two to grow up and get to it!" She turned her hardened gaze over to Sasuke and opened her palm. "Give me those keys."

Sasuke glared back for a few seconds before looking away. He pulled the keys out of his pocket and dropped it in her hand. "Hn."

Sakura smiled triumphantly and dropped the keys in Naruto's hand. "Now go help Ino and drag her ass here." She commanded.

Naruto quietly took the keys and got out of the booth to let Sakura slide in. "Geez, Sakura-chan," he scratched the back of his head and laughed. "I didn't know you were so scary."

Sakura smirked and waved him off. "Don't test me, Naruto. You haven't seen anything yet."

Naruto hightailed it out of the restaurant and now it was just Sasuke and Sakura left. In all the excitement, Sakura failed to notice that Sasuke's dark eyes never left her figure once.

"Scary, huh?" Sasuke mused, looking her over as he contemplated the word, trying to find any indication that it fit though he didn't appear convinced in the least.

The pinkette smiled so sweetly it was disarming but the way Sasuke's eyes narrowed and a smirk formed on his lips convinced Sakura that tonight was going to be far from her usual routine. She shrugged. "I try not to be."

"Oh yeah?" Sasuke's smirk was still in place as his eyes held hers.

She tilted her head to the side and batted her long eyelashes at him. "You don't believe me, Sasuke-kun?"

"It's not that… it's just that your appearance is far from intimidating." He teased.

Sakura giggled. "Am I really that cute?"

"Maybe."

That was not the answer Sakura was anticipating. It sent heat flooding to her cheeks, and she had to look away. She was not as good at teasing and flirting as Ino was. That girl was a natural. Sakura always shied away whenever she felt things got too honest or intense.

"Hn." Sasuke grinned then, quite obviously liking the fact that he had gotten to her.

A server came by and asked for their orders. It was a slight reprieve for Sakura, as she had time to collect her thoughts-and a piece of her dignity-again. Sasuke's dark eyes never left her. She internally debated with herself if she should stare back, or just avoid his gaze. Sakura tried avoiding it, but it only made her feel more squeamish. Therefore, she stared back. As emeralds met onyx, there was a connection that was undeniable.

Once the server left with their orders, Sasuke leaned back in his seat, regarding her with interest the entire time.

"Nervous?" He asked. The way she shifted in her own seat again and again was a tell tale sign of her anxiousness.

"No way," she caught her lie right as it left her lips. Sakura laughed nervously and ran a hand through her pink locks. "Maybe a little. I'm worried about Ino." Now that wasn't a lie. It was more of conveniently leaving out the fact that being under Sasuke's gaze contributed to it a little more.

"What did you do today?" Sasuke asked curiously and Sakura blushed at the thought of him being curious about her.

She blinked a few times before she placed a finger on her lips and looked skyward, recalling the things she had done earlier. She hummed and said, "I went to yoga first thing in the morning, went home and cooked breakfast. After I ate, I went to the hospital to shadow Dr. Tsunade."

"Ah." Sasuke nodded but said nothing further as he finally looked away from her.

Sakura shifted in her seat again, thinking of other things she could speak to Sasuke about. There wasn't much she knew about him other than his profession, and his lack of love for sweets. The latter topic just made her heart feel heavier because she loved it. She pursed her lips, before an idea hit her. The pinkette's face brightened up so much that Sasuke quirked his eyebrow up.

"Sasuke-kun, I recall Naruto telling me that you two usually train together, but you come in earlier than he does. What do you usually do while waiting for him?"

He crossed his arms as he looked at her. "I have my own version of morning training that I like to do."

"All by yourself?"

Sasuke nodded and regarded her warily.

"What time do you usually get to the gym?"

He shrugged. "Depends really. I'm always there by six in the mornings though."

"Perfect!" Sakura clapped her hands together. "Why not try a yoga class with me? It usually starts at six-thirty. But we can meet a little earlier to have a cup of tea-not breakfast though. You should refrain from eating at least two hours before."

"Hn." He looked away and then eventually replied, "Yoga..." He muttered the word thoughtfully before looking back at her. "Alright. When's the next class?"

She grinned at him. "There's a class everyday. So just let me know when you're free to attend so I can book the class for us."

"My training schedule is the same everyday. I wouldn't mind joining you as early as tomorrow."

Surprisingly enough, Sasuke seemed more interested than she expected. This made Sakura's heart lighten, and it made her happy she would have something in common to talk to him about. Yoga had a lot of health benefits, and it was a fun activity. If Sasuke was confident enough with his skills to let her watch him train, then she was confident enough to let him see her practice. This would also be a good opportunity to spend more time with him in a wholesome and safe environment. This way, she would have a perfectly sound alibi to tell her parents how she had met him, and why they were friends.

She grinned at him until her eyes closed. Sakura couldn't remember when she had felt this happy. "Great! Let me book us a class now." She picked up her phone and opened the app. She was too excited and focused on her task that she didn't notice their food arrived. The server placed it down in front of them and left without another word.

Sasuke nearly dropped his fork when Sakura exclaimed, "oh good! It's FNR Athletics tomorrow!"

"What?"

The pinkette blinked and laughed at herself. "Oh, sorry. It means _Flexibility Not Required_. It's considered a beginner's class, since the poses aren't too difficult, but you'll really break a sweat." The excitement was all too clear in her emerald eyes. "It's full of planks, and downward facing dogs, and all of that. Plus, the instructor's Hashi-san. She's _really_ good."

"Hn." Sasuke smirked.

They ate their food in companionable silence. Sakura watched as Sasuke finished all the food in his plate. He certainly had an appetite, and she found it cute. She wondered if he would allow her to cook for him, but maybe she would need to ask if there were certain kinds of food he wasn't allowed in his diet first. Sakura nodded to herself and decided to keep that in the back of her mind as another topic they could potentially talk about.

They were both having so much fun that they didn't even realize that Ino and Naruto never came back.

"I'm going to kill that Dobe," Sasuke glowered at his phone.

"Why, what's wrong?" Sakura asked, as she looked for her car keys in her purse.

"He has my car, and he isn't responding."

"Oh… I can drop you off."

"You sure?" Sasuke asked and Sakura nodded quickly. "Alright then."

A bit of nervous fluttered through Sakura once they were in her car together. Being by themselves in the restaurant wasn't as bad because there were people around. However now that they were in the close confines of her car, things just felt so much more intimate. She could smell his cologne and it filled her mind and sent her senses into overdrive. She gripped the wheel a little too hard as she tried to keep her eyes on the road. She willed herself to concentrate on her driving, despite the streets being empty.

"Do you want me to drive?"

"Ah? No, it's okay. I can manage. I'm just not familiar with this side of town."

"Hn."

There were a lot of tight streets and it was pretty dark. Her car having dark tint didn't help, either. However, Sasuke was quick to help her on the way and before she knew it he was gesturing towards a home that had a fair amount of privacy and wasn't too close to the road, though there were neighbors just across the street.

"This is me." He said, gesturing for her to turn in.

Sakura pulled into his driveway and slowly drove up to his home. The driveway circled through the front lawn and even though it was already dark, she could tell how nice the place actually was.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" She asked curiously, not sure what else to say. A part of her really hated to see him go.

"Send me the address," Sasuke nodded as he reached for the door handle, though he didn't open the door right away.

Sakura blinked and laughed nervously. "I don't have your number."

Sasuke smirked and pulled his phone out. After they exchanged numbers, he climbed out of the car and watched her drive out of the street.

Sakura would never admit it, but her eyes were trained on the rear view mirror, not wanting to lose sight of him for as long as she could.

Sakura entered her home, and nearly bumped into her mother.

"Sakura! You're late."

"Ah, sorry. I lost track of time."

Her mother gave her a look but nodded.

"You know Ino. Always has a lot of things to say." She laughed, a little too loud.

"Ah yes," her mother agreed. "What's your schedule for tomorrow?"

"Yoga at six, and then I'm off to the hospital. I'll probably stay there a little later than usual. Tomorrow's that surgery I was telling you about."

"No problem, love. I'll be in the hospital, too. Maybe we can have dinner together after?"

Sakura's eyes lit up. She hadn't had dinner with her mother in a long time. "That sounds great, mom."

Mebuki smiled at her daughter and gave her a quick hug. "I'll make a reservation for us, then."

"Do you think dad can come?" There was so much hope in her voice, but the way Mebuki's lips slanted down was enough to deflate her spirit.

"I'll make a reservation for three, I'll talk to your father."

Sakura tried not to let her disappointment show. "Okay."

—

After taking a shower, Sakura opened her closet and looked at her clothes. She usually didn't mind what she wore to yoga, and she was going to put on scrubs for the rest of the day when she arrived at the hospital, but she was going to see Sasuke tomorrow. She couldn't just throw on _anything._

"Comfy? Or cute?" Sakura mused to herself. "Maybe sexy." She blushed at her last sentence. Ino would have been proud she even thought of that.

Comfortable was the way to go, so she could move around easily. She didn't want to embarrass herself in front of Sasuke tomorrow. She invited him, after all. She had to do well, or perhaps she could go with something cute, just to show off a little bit more. But sexy… there were times she would only wear yoga pants and a sports bra to her classes. But was that really the way to go on a first date?

 _Date_.

Sakura shook her head from side to side. This wasn't a date. They were just going to meet for tea and then take a yoga class together. That was it. This wasn't a date.

Or was it?

To clear her head, Sakura decided to text Sasuke the studio's address. He replied almost instantly:

" _Got it. See you tomorrow. Good night."_

It was a longer text than she expected. She shoved the butterflies down and sent him a reply. As soon as she hit send, the threw her phone on the bed and dived back into her closet.

There was no point in thinking about it too much. She pulled out her favorite yoga pants and sports bra, and then chose a pastel colored crop top. She pulled out a light green sundress, a pair of sandals and threw that into her duffel bag. She was thankful Ino had convinced her to have a few set outfits that they considered 'fail safe' for any occasion. Feeling content, she plopped down on her bed and stared at her ceiling for a moment. Things seem to have been going well, and she hadn't liked anyone this much since college. She closed her eyes and allowed the giddiness to wash over her. After a few moments, she tucked herself under her comforter, and made herself comfortable.

Sakura fell asleep with her heart feeling full, and a smile on her face.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Thanks for reading! Sorry for the long wait but there's life, and also a 12 hour time difference between me and my collab partner iBloo. The next chapter should be here much, much sooner though. We hope you've enjoyed this one and will be looking forward to the next!**


	6. Yoga

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Six-**

Yoga

* * *

Sasuke couldn't believe that he had such a difficult time falling asleep that night. Throughout the night he woke up several times and was up for good before five that morning. He blamed it on the excitement of getting to be around Sakura in a new environment. If he was being completely honest, he was even a bit nervous. Sasuke was fit, he was in the best shape of his life… but he'd never attempted yoga.

As he got into the shower he thought that Sakura would more than likely make him look foolish, but he was more worried about him getting far too interesting in looking at her in a not so suitable way. No, he would not go there… bad as he wanted to. He was going to enjoy her company… and yet those damn yoga poses would not get out of his head.

Once his shower was finished he dried off, brushed his teeth, shook out his hair and walked over to his closet. What the hell was a man supposed to wear to yoga? He thought about calling Naruto to ask, but then decided he didn't want the dobe in his business… If Naruto knew he was going to yoga with Sakura he would most definitely act ridiculous about it.

Sasuke spent several moments staring into his closest, completely at a loss. Maybe his ordinary training clothes would suffice. A tank top and a pair of his training shorts? He really wasn't sure and he didn't want to show up looking like an idiot. Embarrassing himself in front of Sakura was not on his to-do list.

In the end he opted for his usual training wear, getting dressed quickly. He would skip his morning shake since he'd be having tea with Sakura before yoga. The fact that Sasuke was feeling nervous at all was unfathomable to him… but to the extent his anxiousness reached… it was unimaginable.

He was Sasuke Uchiha for crying out loud. _The prodigy._ He was known for his cool facade and emotionlessness. He could face off against the strongest of men and not bat an eye, not daring to show the slightest bit of feeling. And yet here he was, finding it hard to even breathe at the thought of having tea and some lame yoga class with a certain pink haired cutie.

Sasuke was cursing his entire life by the time he finally left his home, finding his car parked in his garage. Naruto was lucky he'd brought it back, otherwise Sasuke would have been wanting to fight him for real. He got in his car, only then opening the message from Sakura which read the address to the yoga place. He frowned, knowing she'd said she wanted to have tea first. Needing to clarify what he needed to do and where he needed to go, he decided to call her.

She answered on the second ring, sounding surprised and breathless at the same time.

"You said you wanted to have tea first… but you sent me the address for the yoga class." He told her, unbelievably keeping his voice calm and cool.

"I did? Sorry! There's a teahouse across the studio. It should be fairly easy to find. Unless you would prefer to meet at Ninbucks? There's one at the corner."

Agreeing to just meet her at the teahouse, they ended the call and Sasuke got on the road. It took him about half an hour to make it to the studio which left him arriving a few minutes early. Sakura was already there, parked in her red sports car. She spotted him immediately and they both got out of their cars at the same time. She was walking over to him, beaming and waving on her way.

"Morning." Sasuke greeted, giving her a soft half smile in return.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun. Are you always this early?"

Her question embarrassed him and made him wish he would have left his home a little later. "I don't like to be late." He admitted quietly, averting his eyes.

She giggled. "I don't like being late, too." Sakura gestured towards the teahouse and led the way.

They sat down together, each of them having their own taste for their tea. While Sakura took hers sweet, Sasuke liked his just as it came. They sipped slowly, chatting lightly about the class they were about to attend. Sakura did most of the talking, while Sasuke just listened and absorbed everything she said. He didn't feel nervous anymore, in fact… he couldn't wait to get in that class and watch her show him just how good she was, not to mention limber.

On their walk back to the studio, they were closer than either of them realized, arms and knuckles brushing with every other step they took. While both of them had taken notice after the first couple times, neither of them bothered to put a distance between them. Sasuke liked the way the proximity affected her, the way her cheeks dusted in a pink blush, the way she tried to distract herself by brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Before he knew it, he was smirking like the devil he was.

Sakura led him towards a large office building. She waved at the receptionist, who waved back. They both walked towards the elevator and waited in silence. As soon as they were on, she spoke, "I hope you don't mind, after I get our lockers, I'll be changing first. You can wait for me in the lobby, or would you want to lie down on the mat while waiting?"

 _Lie down on the mat?..._ "I'll wait for you in the lobby." Sasuke said, having no idea what he was getting himself into.

She smiled at him. "I won't be long."

Sasuke nodded in response just before they exited the elevator. She left him there in the lobby while she went to change. His arms crossed as he looked around curiously, wondering why she hadn't come already dressed for the class.

Sakura emerged from the locker rooms, she was bundling her hair up in a ponytail as she approached him, a hair tie sitting between her lips. She took the hair tie and proceeded to tie her pink locks as she spoke, "Sorry, I can't believe there's so many people. Usually there's only like, ten of us in this class. I think we're full today."

Having not heard a single word she said, Sasuke's eyes slowly began to trail down her body. With her hair pulled up like that, her face and its beautiful features were all the more noticeable. But that outfit… His lips parted as he took his time admiring her, his eyes locking on her toned stomach showing beneath the crop top she wore. Her yoga pants were fitting, hugging her hips and she was perfect.

It was at this moment that Sasuke knew he had to have her… and he would have her. But first, he needed to make sure he wasn't drooling like some imbecile. Snapping his mouth shut, the Uchiha tried hard to tear his gaze away from her, but he failed miserably. All he could do was force his eyes back up to her pretty face where he found her blushing slightly, eyes shifting around as if she couldn't dare look at him at the moment.

Sasuke swallowed hard, knowing he'd gotten carried away with a little too much looking, but damn it he wanted to continue. "Should we go?" He asked, rolling his eyes at the tone his voice had taken.

"A-ah, yeah. Sure." Sakura practically scurried towards the studio with Sasuke towing behind her. She left her slippers on the floor, so Sasuke followed.

Once they were inside the studio, he noticed a number of purple mats laying on the floor, and a large mirror covered the left side from the ceiling all the way down to the floor. There was a faint scent of bamboo and the rainforest. It was quiet, and a number of people were lying flat on their backs on the mats with their eyes closed. Others were sitting with their legs crossed, backs straight-obviously meditating. It was so quiet, Sasuke didn't even want to breathe anymore.

He followed Sakura to the edge of the room near the mirror. She sat down on the mat, and he did the same. She looked at him and whispered, "you can either lie down on your back, or meditate. We have around five minutes until the instructor comes in." With one last smile, she laid down on her back, sprawled her arms and feet and closed her eyes. Her breathing started to slow, as she was obviously starting to regulate it.

Sasuke looked to his side and down at her, his eyes betraying him as they once more moved across every curve on her body. Her stomach was revealed and her skin looked so soft. He had a strong urge to touch her, to be closer. He could smell her perfume with ease, it was soft and fruity, fitting for her. His eyes moved down to her lower belly, running along the line of her pants and then further down.

He didn't know why it was hot as hell in the room, but he was close to losing himself so he laid back and closed his eyes, forbidding himself from looking at her any longer. _For now._

After a few minutes, Sasuke felt someone padding around the room. The bamboo floor shifting and dipping from the weight. He heard a soft and calming voice come from the front of the room.

"Good morning, everyone."

As if on cue, everyone in the room rose to a seated position, and Sasuke did the same. He crossed his legs in front of him and listened. The instructor looked to be around in her late forties. She was tall, and lean. Her hair neatly pulled back in a bun. She was only wearing a sports bra and yoga pants, but it didn't look cringeworthy on her in anyway. She looked limber, and strong.

"I'm Hashi, and I'm glad you all decided to join me this morning for practice. I see some new faces, we usually don't have too many early risers."

A light laugh was shared with the class, and Sasuke swept his gaze over the studio. There had to be at least thirty in attendance-and they were all girls.

Hashi raised her hand in the air. "Are there any first timers, or coming back to yoga after a long time?"

A number of hands were raised, and Sakura looked over to Sasuke and gave him a warm smile.

Sasuke begrudgingly raised his hand, a small pout forming on his face. This was so embarrassing.

Hashi gave him a grin and Sasuke could have sworn she was only talking to him. "Welcome. Any injuries I should know about?" Hashi then started sweeping her gaze over to the class. "Anything painful, or something you want to avoid stretching too much?"

When everyone in the class shook their heads, she stood up. "We will be touching a little bit on all today. We will work our way from the arms, core, and then legs."

Some appreciative nods were shared, between the girls in the class. Sasuke could already tell who were regulars. There was just something different with the way they sat. Their posture was perfect, and their calm confidence emanated from their bodies.

"Know that if it ever gets too much for you, you can always take a break." Hashi was walking around the room now. She stopped in between Sasuke and Sakura, but she didn't look at the two. "Take Child's Pose when you do. We're all at different stages of our practice. FNR Athletics can be quite challenging for some, even if we practice often." She then broke into a grin. "I still break a sweat."

A light laugh filled the room again, and Sakura giggled. She looked at Sasuke, just as Hashi made her way back to the front of the class. "Just do what I'm doing if you ever get lost, Sasuke-kun."

"Hn." Like hell he would get lost. How hard could this be?

"Let's start on our backs," Hashi said. "Lie down."

Sasuke did as he was told. He stared at the ceiling for a while, with his arms and legs sprawled out, like how Sakura was lying earlier. He tried to even his breathing, and he closed his eyes. _Easy._

He knew they would work their way up, but everything was just a piece of cake, he was starting to get bored. Hashi mostly stayed in the front of the class, giving out instructions. "Now, come into all fours, and do a few Cats and Cows."

 _Cat and whats?_

Sasuke scrambled to his hands and knees. He dared to peek at Sakura, and she had a soft look on her face, her breathing so deep and even, he could hear it.

"For Cat, really curve your back, and push the floor away. Contract your stomach. Sigh it all out."

Sakura exhaled and she followed, curving her back and letting her head drop between her arms. Sasuke could see the muscles on her upper arms working, and her thighs coming in a little closer. It was hard to keep up with the instructions when watching Sakura was proving to be far more enjoyable.

"Now dip your belly, and take a deep inhale with your Cow pose. Really open your collarbone and feel that stretch on your shoulder blades. Pull it all the way back."

This time, Sasuke had the decency to look away from Sakura and looked forward. Once Sasuke saw the girl's ass right in front of his face, he closed his eyes. He knew he wanted to see some ass, but not _hers._

He bit his lip and was relieved when Hashi started giving out new instructions. "Now, extend your right leg, and follow with your left. Plank pose."

Finally. Something he was good at. Sasuke smirked. He could keep this pose for hours, with weights on his back, even. But he was damned when Hashi came by.

"Now, class. When in plank, remember to keep your hips up." She took her two forefingers and pushed Sasuke's hips up from right below his belly button. Sasuke immediately complied. "Contract your belly, and imagine a block in between your thighs. _Squeeze_ -make sure it doesn't fall." She then whispered the instruction to Sasuke again, and he grit his teeth, but followed.

Hot damn. He never knew adjusting your form by the tiniest bit could make it burn so much. "Now, push your shoulders back, and twist your arms outward." As soon as Sasuke tried the instruction, he was ready to scream bloody murder. Why hadn't his coaches ever corrected his form? Beads of sweat was forming on his forehead.

He stole a look at Sakura, and her face was so serene. Her breathing was still calm and even.

"Good, Sakura. Perfect form, as always," Hashi praised, to which Sakura grinned. "Now, tip forward. Lean, lean, lean."

Sasuke's eyes widened. Why the fuck was this so hard? He could knock a grown man down, but he couldn't manage holding a plank? What the actual fuck.

"Now, land lightly, _with control_ , on your tummy."

Sasuke finally landed on the mat with an undignified thud, and he released the breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Sakura smiled and whispered, "still okay?"

"Hn."

"That was a good stretch, right? Now we feel nice and open. We'll start with the arms."

 _What the fuck. There was more?_

From Chair Pose to Half Fold, Low Lunge to High Lunge, and Warrior Two to Reverse Warrior, Sasuke was so _done_. He had to hand it to these chicks, they were strong. He found a new kind of respect for people who practiced Yoga, and acknowledged both the mental and physical discipline it took to perfect it. He learned that when the poses get hard, the more he had to breathe, despite his instincts telling him otherwise. Now he understood why Sakura was so fit. This shit was _hard_. He was sweating so much, and it was only his pride that kept him going. He was not going to take a break and rest in Child's Pose, despite some of the other people in the class doing so. Sasuke was far too relieved when he heard Hashi mention they were starting their cool down.

"Now, lie down on your backs, and take Corpse Pose. We will stay like this for a few minutes."

Sasuke practiced the breathing exercises and listened to his pounding heart slowly calm down. It was hard, and he barely had time to look at Sakura when the poses were getting far more challenging, but it didn't matter that much. This was more than the work out he had anticipated to start his morning. If he kept this up, it would not only mean more time with Sakura, but also that his body would get stronger. A strong body is what he needed to keep in winning his fights.

As Sasuke walked out of the studio with Sakura, he was breathless and sore in places he didn't know could hurt. That was saying something, being that Sasuke had undergone some serious training every day for the past several years. He couldn't believe that something as simple as yoga could be such a workout. He really felt as if he'd been at the gym all day… and he hadn't even gotten there yet. Despite the challenge with the earlier practice, he also felt relaxed, and so much happier than he had been when he woke up. He wasn't sure if it was the Yoga, or if it was Sakura's presence. It was a strange yet welcome feeling for him.

However, the Uchiha wasn't so sure about this yoga thing anymore. He thought he was going to attend, get to check Sakura out and maybe do a little stretching… but the actuality of it was far from what he was expecting. It was true, he did get to indulge in some looking, but he wasn't sure if it was worth it. He wasn't ready for yoga, not even a beginners class. Even when he thought that though, he smirked to himself at the fact that he'd never given up. He finished the class and awkwardly managed every pose.

"How was it, Sasuke-kun? Do you want to do it again tomorrow?" Her smile was so bright, and cheerful. Her emerald eyes glittered with hope he might say yes.

 _Tomorrow? Shit…_ "I… I don't know… it's so crowded." The last thing he wanted to do was shoot her down with her looking so adorable, but he wasn't sure if he could take another one of those classes, especially so soon.

"Oh…" She looked away, but the smile rose on her lips again. "Do you want to try another time, then? This time, I'll check if the class is full or not."

Damn it… she certainly had a way of backing him into a corner. "Hn. Just let me know then." He grumbled, hating himself for knowing he would go with her again and suffer the same fate once more.

She grinned. "Do you really not like it, Sasuke-kun?" Her tone was light, and teasing. "I think you did well for your first time."

He looked her over, a sudden thought causing a smirk to pull at his lips. "Maybe you should train me personally for a while… and then I try the class again."

This made her stop in her tracks, and she lost all the playfulness in her face. She scratched her cheek. "Umm… sure. When, though?"

Sasuke's brows rose at the fact that she agreed so easily. "We could do it in the mornings, at my place." He shrugged, hoping like hell she'd be alright with the offer.

She tipped her head to the side, and clasped her hands behind her back. "Same time?"

Sasuke nodded, an excitement he couldn't deny coursing over him. "Same time."

Sakura chewed on her lower lip for a moment before finally replying, "alright. I'll buy us yoga mats."

"That won't be necessary. Just be there, I'll have what we need." He told her quickly. He'd be damned if he'd let her buy their yoga mats when he was the one asking for _private lessons_.

She smiled and joked. "Thank you. Can mine be pink?"

"Hn. If that's what you want." He said, smiling back at her.

The smile she returned rivaled the brightness of the sun. If getting her a pink yoga mat was going to make her smile like that again, Sasuke was sure to get it done. After they said their goodbyes, Sasuke got into his car and wasted no time in getting on the road. He was going to be late to the gym, so late that he was sure Naruto would beat him there and then certainly question him.

Not that he would bother answering any of the dobe's questions… because he wouldn't.

His day at the gym went just as he'd anticipated. Naruto was there before him, bugging him endlessly about what he'd been doing but Sasuke was a professional at ignoring his annoying friend. After that yoga class, Sasuke was fighting to get into his normal routine because he'd been stretched in directions he didn't know he could stretch. He couldn't let Naruto know anything was going on, but he wasn't halfway through his day of training before he decided to dip in a ice bath.

The yoga would have to be good for him though, and Sasuke was glad Sakura had introduced him to it. Now, he could work his body out in a whole new way and he could become even stronger. This was something that Sasuke craved, it was what he lived for. And now, he could learn more and get stronger in the privacy of his home, with a beautiful and rather sexy girl as his coach.

The ice bath helped to ease the strain in his muscles but by the time Sasuke left the gym, he was exhausted, but he couldn't go home and rest just yet. The apple of his eye would be at his home bright and early the next morning and he had to find yoga mats for them. As he got into his car and started searching for them online, he quickly found that not many places carried pink ones. They were all either black, purple or blue… but if Sakura wanted a pink one, then she would damn well have it.

The first two places he stopped at were out of stock, but did usually carry them. This worried him, because if he didn't have her a pink yoga mat waiting for her when she arrived, he would never forgive himself. The next athletic shop he went in was one he'd never been to before, and he had to drive all the way across town to get there. He walked through the place in search of the training mats and sighed in relief when he spotted pink.

 _About damn time…_

He grabbed a pink one first before choosing a black one for himself. He took a moment to think of anything else they'd need but couldn't really come up with anything. He did however decide to buy her a water bottle that she could keep at his place. He figured if they were going to be sweating like hell, she would probably be thirsty and when he spotted the pink bottle he knew he had to buy it for her.

While he was there, Sasuke picked up a few things he needed for himself and then left the sports store. It was already getting late, but if Sakura was coming to his place he needed to stock up on some things so he had more shopping to do. Sasuke hated shopping and most of the time his mother did it for him, but he wasn't about to be calling her at the last minute to ask her to pick up some things because he had a girl coming over… his mother would surely over react to such news.

So Sasuke went shopping, as much as he dreaded it and by the time he got home, had everything put away and took a moment to breathe, he was ready to go straight to bed. However, tidy as he may have been, Sasuke felt he had to make sure his home was as clean as possible. He was up until hours later, dusting things repeatedly and cleaning things that were already clean.

He knew he was being ridiculous, but… this was the first time a girl had ever even came over to his place and this wasn't just any girl… This was _Sakura_ … and she brought him breakfast. Everything had to be perfect because he had every intention of making that girl his.

By the time he had his shower, Sasuke was so beat that he didn't even dress himself. He collapsed on his bed, beyond exhausted. His eyes closed immediately and he yawned, his mind forever on that pink haired beauty. In a matter of seconds he'd drifted off to sleep and for the first time in a long time, he dreamt… and his dreams were nothing but sweet.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hello lovely readers! Thanks for being so patient with us!**

 **We hope that you enjoy this update and as always, thanks for reading!**


	7. Lessons

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Seven-**

Lessons

* * *

It was a lot colder than the previous morning. So much so that Sakura ran back into her house to change out of her shorts and opted for yoga pants instead and picked out a thicker jacket.

"Heading out again, dear?"

Sakura stopped midstep out of their door and grinned at her mother. "Yes, yoga first and then I'll be going to the hospital. My usual."

Her mother's gaze softened and nodded. "Alright, darling. Make sure you register properly today at the studio. I don't want a repeat of that billing statement fiasco that happened."

The pinkette scratched the back of her head. "I thought the girl knew me well enough, but yeah! I will. I'll remind them to do that automated quarterly billing thing they emailed me about."

"Just because you go there every day doesn't mean they always remember which classes you attend, Sakura!" Mebuki chided before walking over and handed Sakura a brown paper bag. "Don't forget your fruits."

She took it with a smile and kissed her mother's cheek before heading out to their driveway.

.

.

.

Sakura pulled up to Sasuke's home, taking in the details much easier now that it was early morning. It was a rather large stone home with black tin on the roof. He had a large porch that was painted white and wrapped around all the way to the garage, which was open. She parked right beside his car and got out, taking a deep breath before walking up to the door inside the garage. She knocked a few times and heard steps approaching seconds later.

The door opened and Sakura found her breath hitching at the sight of a shirtless Sasuke standing before her. He appeared to have just gotten out of the shower. His hair was still damp. He smelled of body wash and shampoo. So good that Sakura inhaled her next breath deeply. He was wearing only a pair of black training shorts. She finally looked up to meet those striking obsidian eyes only to find them trailing down her body slowly.

It was often that she caught him admiring her this same way.

"Good morning, Sakura. Come on in." He held the door for her and she walked inside, feeling a little shy being invited to his home. It all felt so private and intimate.

His home was large on the outside, but seemingly even more spacious on the inside. Sakura took her shoes off once she was inside and then followed Sasuke through the open space that was the apparent living room area. She never expected his home to be so tidy, so neat. There wasn't a picture frame out of place, not a speck of dust to be found.

Everything was made in neutral colors, the walls a light gray. Black curtains hung around the windows. The couch was black leather, as were the two chairs that sat across from it. There was a fireplace that sat just under a huge flat screen TV. The wall around the fireplace was set in a beautiful display of stone. The place even smelled clean, and of him… and Sasuke always smelled good.

The kitchen was made in stainless steel appliances, the walls there were white. More black curtains hung over the windows there and Sakura felt the place was very fitting for him. At first, she couldn't really picture what the inside of his home would look like, but seeing it made so much sense.

 _This was Sasuke._

"I picked this up for you while I was out yesterday… I thought you might like to have this here, for when you come by." Sasuke told her, handing over a pink water bottle.

"Oh, thank you." She blinked for a few moments before a huge grin spread on her face. "And it's pink!"

Sasuke smirked. "I thought you might like it."

Sasuke led her out of the kitchen and into a sitting area. There were only a couple of chairs in the two corners of the room, the rest of the room was bare except for the two yoga mats set out on the floor next to each other. There were two large windows ahead, overlooking his back lawn. The morning sun poured in through the open blinds which were only one of the reasons Sakura was smiling. It wasn't long until she broke out in a fit of giggles.

"I can't believe you actually got a pink one!"

"Well… it's what you wanted." He said.

"I was just kidding," she laughed. "Even I couldn't find one. I had to ask my dad to find a contact. He couldn't, either."

Sakura didn't miss the way his ears turned red at her admission. "Tch. It wasn't hard to find."

"I guess it's because you're just so good at everything, huh?" she teased.

"Damn right." He said, his confidence returning effortlessly. "You ask for a pink yoga mat and that's just what you will get."

Sakura hummed in response, a light pink coming up to her cheeks. She had to hand it to him, he was dedicated. Even Ino couldn't find a pink one for her, they both expended their resources and still came up with nothing. Here comes Sasuke, magically giving her one. She bit her lip, maybe he would give it to her if she asked nice enough. It was a lovely shade of blush, nearly matching her hair, just a few shades darker. It was made of good quality, too.

"Shall we start?"

"Certainly." Sasuke nodded, gesturing for her to take the lead.

Sakura padded to the center of the mat and sat down, legs crossed. "Sasuke-kun, do you know what they mean when they say, 'find your center?'"

"How would I know that?" He grumbled. "Like finding my inner strength?"

She smiled. "You're so cute."

" _Cute?_ " Sasuke spat the word as if it were distasteful. "Only my mother has ever said such a thing."

"At least I know your mom and I will agree on something," she laughed. "Maybe I can convince her to show me your baby photos, too."

"I don't think so." Sasuke scoffed, wishing like hell his mother would. "I'd have to see yours first."

She smirked. "I don't mind. I was even cuter."

"I bet you were… though I wouldn't call you cute now." Sasuke said before quickly adding, "I mean… cute isn't the right word."

Heat rose to her face. Before she could embarrass herself further, Sasuke quickly cut, "Let's just get started." He sat on his black mat quickly before laying back and breathing in deeply to calm himself. Sakura followed suit and sat down on her pink one. She shifted on the mat, and he did too, so now they were facing each other.

Sakura did some research what was the best way to teach yoga, but it was all too complicated. For hours she read on history, benefits, as well as philosophies. It appealed to her at the moment, but now that she thought about it, Sasuke didn't seem like the type to indulge in theories. Sasuke was a mystery to her still, but it was clear that he was a man of little words and big on action. Taking a deep breath, she decided it would be best to just jump right into it.

Demonstrating the poses, telling him the names, and then letting him try went much better than she anticipated. Sasuke was a fast learner and he was eager to get the poses right on the get-go. His piercing gaze made her blush more times than she could count, although Sakura tried to brush it off as much as she could.

 _He's just looking intently because he needs to copy the pose,_ she rationalized. _The way I look has nothing to do with it._

Even if she repeated in her head over and over again, she couldn't help but feel his eyes roam over her entire body as she demonstrated the poses. His _Low and High Lunge_ was much better with her corrections, but his _Warrior Two_ needed more attention. She walked around him, inspecting his pose.

"Your stance doesn't need to be too wide, Sasuke-kun," Sakura's voice was gentle, soothing. "Bend your knee a little more and don't puff your chest out too much."

Once Sasuke adjusted himself, his form looked so much better. "You're doing great, Sasuke-kun!" she was genuinely pleased. Now she understood how much accomplishment the yoga instructors must feel after successfully correcting a student. "Feel the pull at your shoulder blades and gaze at your fingertips."

"Like this?" Sasuke adjusted his position a little more and Sakura felt his chest brush against her shoulder.

She started. Sakura didn't realize how close they were standing to each other, their faces only inches apart. For a moment, her gaze landed on his lips, and she forgot how to form words.

"Sakura?"

Abruptly, she took a step back and forced a smile on her face. "Yeah, perfect. You're good at this."

"Hn."

A genuine smile came to her face when she noticed the light blush on his pale cheeks. Sakura stayed in the confines of her mat for the rest of the session and continued to teach him the cool down stretches. As she lay on her back, Sakura stared at the ceiling and continued her deep breathing exercises. It was nice spending time with him like this. Sakura imagined she would be a blushing mess, but Sasuke exuded such a calm and reassuring aura. She closed her eyes and listened to his calm breathing, allowing herself to match his pace, calming her beating heart down. It was in that moment Sakura felt their hearts were connected, beating together in perfect rhythm.

.

.

.

After a quick shower, Sakura was already heading out the door. Sasuke wanted her to stay a little longer but if she did, she would be late for her hospital shift. He didn't insist any further and simply thanked her for the yoga session.

"You're welcome, Sasuke-kun. I'll text you."

"I'll be waiting."

Sakura hopped into her car and started the engine. She hooked her phone up to her stereo before driving out of Sasuke's driveway. Rolling her window down, she smiled and waved before driving off. Sasuke stayed by his door until she could no longer see him from the back mirror.

After a few minutes of driving, her music was cut off. Briefly, she took a look at her phone's screen and found a photo of her best friend flashing. Sakura pressed a button on her steering wheel and started talking. "What is it, Pig? I'm driving."

"Forehead! You weren't at practice earlier! Where are you?"

Sakura sighed. "I had something to take care of. I'm driving to the hospital now."

"Take care of?" Ino was not convinced. "What do you have to take care of at six in the morning? Did you do the walk of shame without me knowing?"

Sakura cringed. "Ino!"

Her friend laughed on the other end of the line and said, "seriously though? Aren't you going to tell me what you've been up to?"

"There is nothing _to_ tell, Pig." Sakura sighed dramatically and continued, "if something were up, I would tell you. You know that."

She felt the pit of her stomach fall.

 _Lies_.

Something did happen, and now she's lying through her teeth. Sakura would call Ino up in a heartbeat just to rant about a difficult patient, but now that she just had a private yoga session with Sasuke, she refused to say a word.

Ino sighed. "Alright, Forehead. I trust you."

Sakura smiled. "Thanks. Hey, I gotta go. I'm already pulling into the parking lot. We can have dinner later if you want."

Ino groaned. "You gotta tell me these things in advance. I already have plans with Naruto. You could come with if you like? Movie and then dinner."

Sakura scrunched her nose at the thought of tagging along. "Eww. I don't want to be your third wheel!"

"Then bring Sasuke-kun and it won't need to be," she replied casually.

Sakura stepped on the break. _Hard_. "Ino!"

She laughed and responded, "you're far too easy to tease. Anyway, how about we dinner tomorrow? I can fetch you from work and we can go shopping, too. There's this new boutique and—"

"Okay, okay. Sure." Sakura sighed and pulled into a parking space. She really didn't have enough energy to hear Ino go on about clothes right now. "I'm off at three tomorrow."

There was a short pause on the other line before Ino spoke, "earlier than usual, huh? Perfect. More time for shopping."

Sakura laughed. Even if things got crazy, she could always depend on her best friend to remain a constant.

As she got out of her car, she took a quick look at her watch. Her eyes went wide and she jumped out. "Oh shit!" She was late. Dr. Senju did not take kindly to tardiness.

Hastily, she grabbed her bag and rushed up to the East Wing. Sakura usually had time to say hi to the receptionist but not today. She just hoped Dr. Senju was too busy to notice. The door to her office was coming into view. Before she could hold on to the knob, the door snapped open and she was met by blazing, chocolate eyes.

"You're late, Sakura!"

An audible, "eep!" escaped her throat and she hid her face behind her hands in shame. She bowed down and apologized, "I'm so sorry!"

"Hmph!" Tsundere crossed her arms and scolded her for a few seconds before giving her instructions to assist Shizune.

Her shoulders slumped, and her green eyes drooped. Not exactly how she wanted to start her day at the hospital.

.

.

.

"Sakura-chan," Shizune chimes in.

The pinkette raised her head, as her nose was buried in a medical journal. "Hmm?"

"I'm going to the store to buy lunch. Do you want me to get you anything?"

"Ah, no thank you." She grinned. "I brought my own lunch."

"Alright then." Shizune smiled back and left the office.

A quick look at the clock and she realized it was time for lunch. A few minutes early, but it would be fine to start now, better to have lunch when the pantry isn't full.

She stood up and looked under her desk, only to notice that her lunch box was missing. Her eyes went wide, and a small gasp escaped her lips as she realized, "I left it at Sasuke-kun's house." Her hand flew to her forehead and she shut her eyes tightly. "Stupid stupid stupid!"

Great. Now, what was she going to do? Shizune just left, and if she went out to get lunch for herself now, the lines would be too long and Tsunade would snap at her for over breaking. And her lunch box… She supposed she could pick it up tomorrow, but what would her mother say if she lied and said she left it at work?

"Oh no…" Sakura sank back down on her chair and slumped over her desk. Her stomach grumbled, and she felt like she was ready to cry. Perhaps she was going to get her period, her mood had been rapidly changing since she woke up. Before she could wallow in her grief a little longer, her phone rang.

She was surprised to see Sasuke's name on the screen. "H-hello?"

"Sakura."

"Sasuke-kun?"

"What floor are you on?"

"Wh-what? Why do you ask?"

"Tch." Silence for a few seconds before he replied. "I'm at the lobby, you left your lunch and I brought it over."

Heat rushed to her cheeks, and her heart fluttered. Sasuke-kun was here. And he brought her lunch over! This was not happening. How could this be happening? Half of her colleagues knew him and idolized him. They would watch the reruns of his fights in the pantry for fuck's sake. Everyone would recognize him in an instant! Her hand covered her mouth, trying to muffle her scream.

"Are you still there?"

She forgot he was still on the line. "I-I'll go to you!" she stuttered. "Just… wait there."

"No need," Sasuke replied. "Just tell me where you are."

"But I-"

" _Sakura."_ There was a hint of warning in his voice, and it made her bite her tongue.

"Third floor in the East Wing. Dr. Senju's office. Three-oh-one."

She heard him smirk before replying, "alright. I'll be there in a while."

Sakura sank even deeper into her chair and sighed. This was too much. Feeling this anxious wasn't good for her health. Her heart was fluttering and her stomach twisted in knots at the thought of Sasuke going through the trouble just to bring her lunch. Which she left. _Stupid_. He probably thought she was stupid.

She crossed her arms on the desk and rested her forehead on them, heat refusing to leave her cheeks. He was here. This was the second time she would see him today. His gym was halfway across town. Why would Sasuke go through the trouble?

There were some muffled screams and squealing coming from the hallway and she snapped her head up. Sakura scrambled out of the office and threw the door open.

There Sasuke was. In a dark blue hoodie and dark grey sweats, holding on to a bright pink lunch box. She wanted to laugh, he looked so out of place in the white halls, and yet, she never knew it was possible someone could look so hot in sweats. It hung just right on his hips, and despite the hoodie being loose, his muscles still shone through. She gulped when his dark eyes met hers.

He ignored everyone around him, and a smirk came to his lips. "Sakura."

"Hi," she smiled shyly. "Thank you for… bringing my lunch over."

He glided towards her and handed her her lunch box. "You were in a hurry to leave this morning."

Everyone in the hall watched their exchange, and her cheeks burned even brighter. "I-I'm sorry! I was running late!" She held on to her lunch box a little too tight, and she stared at it like it was the most interesting object she had ever laid eyes on.

Sasuke only nodded and stuffed his hands in his hoodie's pockets. "Plans for later?"

"What?"

He raised a brow at her, and she mentally kicked herself. Yup. He definitely thought she was stupid _and_ deaf. "I-sorry, I thought you asked me if I had plans later…" that came out way softer than she would have liked.

Sasuke smirked. "I did."

He what now? He _what_ now? She opened her mouth to try to reply, but then nothing came out.

Sasuke smiled at her. "I'm going to take that as a no. Should I pick you up or let's just meet at my place?"

Sakura shook her head to clear it and responded. "I have a car."

"I know," Sasuke replied. "Then I'll just meet you at home."

All she could do was nod. He smirked and flicked her forehead lightly with his index finger and thumb. "You should go eat, you're spacing out."

She never knew it was medically possible to turn crimson. Apparently, it was. Now she wanted to spearhead a study for finding if it was possible to die of embarrassment.

Sakura held on to the spot where his fingers brushed her forehead. "Okay."

"Seven 'o clock." He turned to leave and waved at her before walking past the crowd.

Sakura's gaze never left his back until he disappeared at the corner. All of her colleagues turned to face her, smug looks and teasing. She covered her flustered face with her hands again. How she wished the ground would open up to swallow her.

Now everyone knew she was dating someone. Even if it wasn't true, that's surely what everyone will be gossiping about for the rest of the week.

"Who was that Sakura?" A nurse gushed. "Is he your boyfriend?"

"Don't be stupid, that was Sasuke Uchiha. You know, the MMA fighter?" A male staffer replied. "But seriously, how do you know him?"

"He brought her lunch. Of course, they're together!" Another nursed chirped. "Oh, he's so handsome. Sakura, you're so lucky!"

All she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and disappear. This was too much. She wanted to keep her life as private as possible, but it looked like that wasn't happening now. So many people kept asking her questions and she just wanted it to stop.

"What is going on here?" Tsunade barked. "Don't crowd in front of my office!"

All the people straightened up and made way for her to walk through. "Sakura!"

"Yes!" Sakura stood up straight.

Tsunade looked at her with hard features but softened at her frightened expression. "I'm having lunch with the surgeons. Come and join us."

Her eyes went wide. This was a great opportunity to meet them. The tension in her shoulders eased, and she found herself smiling again. "Yes, shishou."

She'd worry about her date with Sasuke and her colleagues later. For now, her future colleagues awaited her.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Thanks for reading! As always, iBloo and I appreciate your support and hope you've enjoyed this chapter!**


	8. Dinner

**Fighting For You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Eight-**

Dinner

* * *

When Sakura left his apartment, it was too quiet- too lonesome. It was strange, being that Sasuke preferred being alone. He loved the silence, the freedom… and yet here he was, hating the fact that she was gone so soon.

It wasn't really soon… she'd been there for over an hour, but Sasuke could have enjoyed her company for much longer. Not that he needed to. No, the only thing he needed to do was get to the gym.

Quickly, he rolled up their yoga mats and put them away before walking into his kitchen to grab his water bottle and fill it so he could leave. As he was walking through his home his front door opened and he halted his steps to find his mother walking in.

Sasuke couldn't believe the feeling of disappointment that washed over him. Of course it wasn't Sakura… if it had been, surely she wouldn't have just let herself in like his mother would.

"Good morning, dear!" His mother greeted him, her heels clanking with every step she took until she stopped at him to kiss his cheek.

"Morning."

Mikoto looked her son over curiously. "I didn't expect you to be here. I know you haven't gone and come back from the gym so early… but you're sweating. Do you have fever?" She turned fearful then and reached up to feel his forehead.

"I'm fine." Sasuke insisted with a roll of his eyes. "I work out at home sometimes too."

"That's unusual." She muttered, walking past him to sit a bag she carried on his counter. "I brought you something for dinner. I'm going to go grocery shopping for you tonight, sorry I've been so busy."

"Don't worry about it… I've bought some things. And thanks."

Her brows raised as she looked him over more thoroughly. "You… bought some things? Okay, something is certainly going on here. Ooh! Have you got a girlfriend finally?"

Finally?

"Don't be ridiculous." Sasuke scoffed, his ears burning at his mother's accusation. "I just decided to pick up a few things."

It was obvious that his mother didn't believe him, but Sasuke didn't have time to be questioned by her. If he left any later he'd be questioned by Naruto and probably have to kick his ass. Before his mother could say anything else, he quickly filled his water bottle and opened his fridge to grab the protein shake already prepared for him. That was when he noticed Sakura's lunch box still there.

"Shit."

"I'm sorry?" Mikoto snapped and Sasuke's face fell.

"Sorry… it's nothing." He said as he pulled out the lunchbox and sat it on his counter. Sakura was long gone… he was going to have to deliver this.

"Oh… then what is that?" She asked, peering directly at the lunchbox. "You don't own that type of tubberware… nor do you take lunch to the gym… so?"

Sasuke cursed his mother in his head for knowing him so well. "It's Naruto's." Sasuke lied.

"It's pink." Mikoto cocked a brow, ready for him to tell another lie.

Sasuke groaned. "Whatever. She's not my girlfriend. Now, I really need to get going." He grumbled, going through the bag his mother brought and grabbing a banana before finding a few cookies wrapped to which he gave his mother a baffled look.

"Well… I thought if you ate something sweet you might not be so cranky and then you'd find a girlfriend. But, I can see I don't need to worry. Have a good day, dear!" She beamed at him, kissed his cheek once more and then left his home without another word.

Sasuke's jaw tensed as he thought his mother to be impossible. She always knew everything… it was so annoying. Quickly, he opened Sakura's lunch box and placed the cookies inside before closing it, grabbing his banana and water and hurrying out to his car.

 _He was going to be so late._

When Sasuke finally made it to the gym, Naruto had already warmed up and was glaring at Sasuke suspiciously.

"Late again, teme? This is becoming a habit."

"Shut up." Sasuke barked as he walked through the gym and into the canteen where he could put Sakura's lunch box in the small fridge there. Naruto was right behind him.

"Something's up… and you're not telling me."

"Then it must be none of your damn business."

Sasuke turned to walk back into the gym, ignoring the look of shock on Naruto's face. He really needed to get his workout started. If he didn't, he wouldn't make any progress being that he had to stop and take Sakura her lunch.

That reminded him… he didn't know where he needed to take it.

"Hey dobe… where does Sakura work?"

"What?" Naruto huffed. "See… I knew something was up. You're late because you can't stop thinking about Sakura."

"Don't make me fuck you up, just answer the question."

Naruto laughed then. "I don't have to tell you anything. If you like her so much, you should already know."

If anybody was impossible, it had to be Naruto. He was beyond annoying. However, Sasuke really needed his help. Not that he would just blatantly admit that.

"Alright, let's spar. If I win you tell me where she works."

"And if I win?" Naruto grinned.

"That's not going to happen so don't worry about that."

"Fucking bastard! Fine, let's do this! I'm going to kick your ass!"

Sasuke smirked. It was so easy to get Naruto riled up and he was such an idiot. He had to know by now that he would never beat Sasuke… and yet he never gave up. Truth be told, Naruto had a killer fist. If he could ever get his hands on Sasuke, he could probably do some damage. Unfortunately for Naruto, Sasuke was too fast, his skillset too advanced.

Naruto would never win.

Their spar lasted all of one minute, and it only lasted that long because Sasuke was fooling around. Naruto always got too frustrated during their bouts, which made things even worse for him. But he never learned. Sasuke won by getting Naruto in a choke hold and having him tap out.

"Damn you," Naruto growled.

Sasuke laughed. "Now pay up, bitch."

"She works at the hospital."

"I know that much, which one, dobe?"

It was Naruto who laughed then. "That wasn't part of the agreement. If you want to know so bad, why don't you just ask her?"

"Again- none of your damn business."

"Then I'm not telling you shit."

Sasuke wanted to go another round just to knock some sense into his not so best friend. "I would tell you." He said then, knowing his words would get Naruto to cave.

"Ugh. Fine. It's St Hashirama Medical. The big one up town."

"Thanks," Sasuke said as he punched Naruto in the arm too forcefully.

"Hey, that calls for you getting your ass beat for real! I let you win that last time!"

Sasuke just shook his head, his mind drifting to Sakura. He was actually excited to see her again.

…

Seeing her at work had been interesting. She was so flustered just at the sight of him. It was amusing, even if she hadn't been expecting him. The way she smiled so happily that he'd gone out of his way to bring her the lunch box really made him happy, but he remained cool and impassive while in her workplace.

He would have liked to bring her lunch more often, just to see her. Though he could have done without being noticed by so many people while doing so. Still, seeing Sakura made dealing with raving fans worthwhile.

But he still couldn't believe he'd asked her to have dinner with him.

It wasn't often that Sasuke chose to dine in public places. Mainly only when he was with his manager or his entire crew. Sometimes he and Naruto ate out, but there was only one place he could go without drawing too much attention and since he and Sakura had already eaten there together before, he wanted to do something different. He was surprised she'd agreed to have dinner at his place though.

Sasuke didn't know what he was going to do. He couldn't cook for shit, which is why his mother brought him dinner often. He would look like an idiot if he just picked something up for them and had it waiting. No… he had to cook… just this once.

With Sakura on his mind, Sasuke hadn't worried about training so much today. Sometimes it was okay to take a breather- even if that was something he didn't normally do. He stopped by the grocery store on his way home but he didn't know what to cook… so he called his brother.

"Sasuke?" Itachi answered, sounding surprised to be getting a call from him.

"Itachi," Sasuke said, suddenly feeling unsure about asking his brother for his opinion.

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh no… no… just… I was planning to cook myself dinner tonight and was wondering if you had any suggestions."

Sasuke mentally chided himself for ever thinking it was a good idea to call his brother over this.

"Cook _yourself_ dinner?" Itachi asked, voice raising in his confusion. "Sasuke… you don't know how to cook."

"Forget it," Sasuke said, ready to hang up.

"Wait! You wanted a suggestion, right? You can never go wrong with a nice salad and a juicy steak."

"Hn. Sounds good. Thanks." Sasuke hung up before the conversation could get any more embarrassing. He could almost hear his brother laughing even after the call ended.

Sasuke picked up two steaks and everything he needed to fix a salad. He didn't know what kind of dressing Sakura would like so he bought a few options and then headed home. For some _unfathomable_ reason, he was feeling nervous. He'd seen Sakura twice today, but now she was coming over for dinner… dinner that he was cooking… and he'd never cooked before.

When Sasuke piled all his ingredients on the counter, he realized that he'd officially screwed up. How could he risk cooking for Sakura and her hating it? There's no way it could taste good when he didn't know what the hell he was doing.

He was a little too flustered to be making decisions so he decided to go and have his shower before worrying about the food. He would figure it out one way or another. For now, he just needed to get washed up and clear his head.

Knowing he still had about an hour or so before Sakura was set to arrive, Sasuke didn't rush in the shower. Once he was out, he looked at himself in the mirror and sighed. He wanted this night to be perfect, but it could end up being a major fail.

Grabbing his toothbrush and toothpaste, he sighed again. He was too worried. But it only worsened when he heard a rattling of pots and pans going on in his kitchen.

"The hell?"

Dropping his toothbrush and toothpaste on the bathroom sink, Sasuke held his towel as he stormed through his home and into his kitchen. His mouth fell open at the sight of his brother chopping up some vegetables and his mother washing the steaks in the sink.

"What are you two doing here?" He nearly yelled, heart pounding as the fear of being found out took over him.

"Helping you not burn down your house," Itachi muttered, a dark smirk on his lips.

Sasuke glared harshly at his brother, but before he could say anything his mother chimed in, "Sasuke, dear… I knew it… you really do have a girlfriend!"

This was not happening… Sasuke was about to fall out with a stroke. He could not deal with them tonight. "You both, get out!" He said before thinking better of it. The way his mother gave him the look of death had him instantly regretting it.

"You don't want us to meet her?" Mikoto frowned then and Sasuke knew she was trying to make him feel guilty.

He wouldn't let it work. "She is _not_ my girlfriend." He growled. It was true, and she probably never would be if his family wouldn't give them some privacy to… get a little closer.

"Not your girlfriend… but you were going to cook for her?" Mikoto giggled. "Is she playing hard to get for my boy. If so, I already like her!"

"Why don't you go get some clothes on and let us help you," Itachi said, and Sasuke raked his hands through his wet hair in exasperation.

He couldn't even argue, he just left the kitchen and went back to his room and paced around for a few moments. What the hell was he going to do? How the hell was he going to get rid of them before Sakura arrived? Maybe he should just call her and cancel.

No… no, he couldn't do that. She would probably never forgive him.

Not knowing what he was going to do just yet, Sasuke went back into his bathroom and went about brushing his teeth. Once he was finished, he dried his hair a little more and then went back into his room to look through his closet and figure out what he was going to wear.

He was so unprepared. The night was already ruined and it hadn't even begun. Sakura was never going to be his girlfriend… he was doomed for failure when it came to anything but fighting.

Sasuke didn't really know what he wanted to wear. They were just having dinner at his home, but he didn't want to look like he just came from the gym. Sakura would probably get tired of seeing him in nothing but his training clothes all the time.

Finally, he decided to just put on a pair of his old faded blue jeans. They still fit well, even though he hadn't worn them in what seemed like ages. He walked to his dresser and got a plain black T-shirt, not wanting to be overdressed. He did put on some socks, but he never wore shoes in his home so he wasn't going to change that now.

When he went back into the kitchen he noticed his mother alone, doing some cleaning.

"Where's Itachi?" Sasuke asked, voice laced with suspicion.

"Outside putting the steaks on the grill for you."

Sasuke went out there quickly, giving his brother the coldest look he could manage. "You told mom I was cooking."

"I told her you were going to make an attempt but that I had to come save you and your house and she wanted to come too."

"Damn it, Itachi. You two are not supposed to be here."

Itachi laughed at his brother's rising panic. "Ruining your night, are we?"

"Yes, you are," Sasuke growled.

"Then just tell mom you want us to leave."

Sasuke's glare managed to darken then. "You know I can't tell her that. You did this shit on purpose."

Mikoto came to the back sliding glass door at hearing them bicker. "Are you two arguing? What time is our guest arriving? Do I have time to sweep and mop?"

Unable to help the groan that escaped him, Sasuke gave one last cold look to his brother before turning to his mother. "My guest will be here soon. The house is clean, I have everything under control."

"Sure you do… I'll just finish cleaning then." Mikoto giggled and walked back into the house.

Now, Sasuke was beyond frustrated and didn't know what he was going to do. After a while, he just went and plopped down on his couch, completely defeated. His family was impossible. Everything was against him. He could only hope that they finished what they were doing and left before Sakura arrived. Maybe she would be running a little late.

Unfortunately for him, she came early. When the sound of her knocking reached his ears, his heart fell to the pit of his stomach. He got up, ignoring his mother's excited giggles and walked to the door to let her in.

She was wearing jeans and a white blouse, her hair hanging down. She looked as beautiful as ever- maybe even more-so. "Hi." She smiled brightly at him and seeing it brightened his sour mood somewhat.

"I'm sorry…" Was all he could say before his mother came around the corner, nearly sprinting over to them.

Sakura's eyes widened but her smile never faltered as Mikoto pulled her into a hug right away. Sasuke had never been more embarrassed. Leave it to his mother to overreact to everything.

"Oh my, you're so beautiful!" Mikoto beamed at Sakura happily. "I'm Sasuke's mom."

"Oh, it's nice to meet you. I'm Sakura."

Sasuke just shook his head, imagining what Sakura must be feeling by being tackled by his mother. She was probably more uncomfortable than he was, even if she didn't act like it.

"Come on in,"

Sasuke followed as his mother led Sakura into the kitchen just as Itachi was coming in from outside with the steaks. They did smell good. Sasuke was sure if Itachi cooked them they would at least be edible. He was still thoroughly annoyed about the entire situation though.

"Hi!" Sakura waved at Itachi, still smiling.

At least she hadn't run for the hills yet.

"Hello. Goodness Sasuke, she really is pretty. No wonder you wanted to hide her." Itachi grinned suggestively and Sasuke's fists clenched at his sides. He was just before kicking his brother's ass.

Sakura laughed at Itachi's words and went to the bar and took a seat as if she were completely at ease. "Are we all having dinner?" She asked, seeming as happy as she could be.

"No," Sasuke answered quickly.

Mikoto gave her youngest son a look before turning back to look at Sakura with a graceful smile. "Not this time. We just dropped by and I'm glad we did. We were just about to leave."

Itachi carried the steaks to the counter beside the mixed salad and walked over to Sasuke. "Don't fuck it up, little brother." Itachi teased in a whisper and Sasuke bit his lip to keep from saying or doing anything stupid.

"It was so nice to meet you, Sakura. You and Sasuke will have to come over for dinner with us soon."

Sakura nodded, smiling sweetly at her. "Thank you, I'd like that."

Sasuke thought they'd never leave, and once they were finally gone he breathed a sigh of relief before finally turning to Sakura.

"Seriously… I'm sorry. They weren't supposed to be here." More than anything, he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. Especially when he'd asked her to come over for a quiet night with just the two of them.

"Oh, I didn't mind. Your mother was really sweet, and you favor your brother a lot."

Sasuke almost rolled his eyes but refrained from doing so. He leaned on the counter and looked her over for a moment, glad there was nobody else around anymore. He could be at peace with her… but not with his brother or even his mother.

"What do you want to drink?" He asked before suggesting, "I have red wine. I think it will go well with the steak."

"Oh sure, that sounds great." She smiled and Sasuke went to his fridge to grab the wine.

"I keep it cold, hope you don't mind."

"That's fine," she replied.

Sasuke sat the bottle of wine on the counter then turned to retrieve two wine glasses out of his cabinet. After he poured both of their glasses halfway full, he turned to grab two plates. He fixed Sakura's first, piling a load of salad onto her plate before setting the steak next to it then he carried it over to her. He'd left all the dressings on the counter so she could grab whichever she preferred.

She didn't say anything and Sasuke was starting to feel a bit uneasy again, so he turned to fix his own plate and distract himself. Once his plate couldn't hold anymore, he walked to the other side of the bar to have a seat next to her.

"I hope you like steak… and salad." He said after clearing his throat.

"I do." Sakura hummed and she inhaled deeply, seeming to enjoy the smell of the food. "It looks delicious!"

"Hn." Sasuke agreed as he went about cutting his steak. It was cooked to perfection. Leave it to his brother.

They ate for a while in silence, but Sakura didn't finish half of her food before she was full. She was pretty petite, and the steak was huge… and Sasuke may have fixed her a bit too much salad. She pushed her plate a little further away and grabbed her wine to have a sip.

"That was really good, Sasuke-kun. I wish I could eat like you."

Sasuke gave her a smile then. "I'm glad you liked it. It's a good thing we're having steak and salad so I can actually eat my fill. Though, I am cheating when it comes to the wine."

"A little wine won't hurt you." Sakura frowned. It was obvious that she hated Sasuke's restricted diet.

He shrugged then. "I'm just not supposed to drink alcohol at all… but as long as I don't do it excessively it's fine."

"Do you ever get tired of having so many rules? I mean you can't eat and drink what you want… that's awful."

He chuckled and had a sip of his own wine before responding. "It's a price I have to pay to reach the goals I've set for myself. So, as long as I keep reaching my goals I don't mind."

Sasuke finished his food quickly after that and then got up to clean the counter.

"Want to stay and watch a movie?" He asked, feeling a bit disappointed that dinner didn't last very long.

She looked at the clock for a second before turning back to face him. "Sure, I can stay a little longer."

They walked into the living room together and sat on the couch. Sasuke was a bit surprised when Sakura sat on the middle cushion next to him instead of sitting at the other end of the couch. Not that he minded, he was rather pleased actually. He turned on the TV and went to his apps before handing her the remote.

"Here, you'd better pick the movie." He said. It was very rare that Sasuke watched TV and if he picked something, she would probably not like it.

"Me?" she asked, surprised, and then laughed. "You probably wouldn't like what I'll pick."

"I'm more concerned about you not liking what I'd choose. I'm good with anything so go ahead. Take your pick."

She tipped her head to the side, a small smile on her face. "Alright, Sasuke-kun. You brought this onto yourself." she giggled as she took the remote from him. She flipped through Netflix and went to the 'Genre' section. Sasuke quirked his brow up when she picked 'animated.'

A variety of shows popped up, mostly Disney and anime shows. Sakura flipped through them one by one, an amused smile on her lips. "I told you to pick, but nooo," she teased, after a little while, she was laughing.

Sasuke couldn't contain his grin. "As I said before, I'm good with anything. Not so much the whole princess thing… but I could watch some anime."

She shifted on the couch, tucking one leg under her and gasped dramatically. "What do you mean you don't like Disney Princesses? You seemed so much like the Cinderella type!"

He burst out laughing then, because she seemed so serious. "If you want to watch Cinderella, I'm good with that too."

Sakura snorted and faced forward again. "You're so lame, you failed my test. Everyone knows Mulan's the best." She flipped to Mulan and hit play.

"Hn… never seen it." Sasuke was still smiling as he watched her.

She turned to face him so fast, the remote flew out of her grasp. "What do you mean you've never watched Mulan?" she was practically screaming now, genuinely surprised. "Sasuke-kun, I don't _know_ you anymore."

"What?" He laughed. "I don't watch much TV at all… but I'm watching it now, with you. I wasn't aware that there was a movie that meant so much to you… You should have told me and I would have watched it sooner."

Her green eyes went wide, her lips parted by the smallest bit. The opening was already playing, and she was still staring at him. Sakura pressed her lips together and looked at the screen, then back at him, a small smile on her lips. "Fine, I supposed I can return our friendship if you watch a bunch of Disney films with me."

"If that's what it takes." Sasuke shrugged and rested his arm behind her on the couch and looked at the movie. He figured he'd better actually pay attention, or else she'd really be mad at him.

Sakura sank into the couch, and pulled a pillow to her chest to hug. She was staring at the screen, but he knew he had her full attention when she said, "thank you, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke was surprised to find that the movie was actually pretty interesting. He was able to get into it easily enough but when Sakura leaned against him about halfway through, he started to get a bit distracted. He couldn't let his concentration slip away… knowing how crazy she was about this movie, she would probably quiz him later.

Since she was staying kind of late, Sasuke hoped she wouldn't want to cancel their yoga session the following morning, but he wasn't about to bring that up. Sakura was so into the movie, not making a peep for the longest time. Her pretty eyes would widen at times, even the way her brows would pull together was cute. Sasuke just couldn't help it… he adored this girl.

By the time the movie came to a close, Sakura's head was resting against him and Sasuke was far too comfortable for his own good. As soon as the end credits came on, Sakura sat up though and stretched and Sasuke almost sighed. He missed her warmth instantly.

"How was it?" Her voice was soft, and she sounded sleepy.

"Honestly? Better than I thought it would be." Sasuke chuckled, his dark eyes admiring her.

A wide smile graced her lips and she stretched her arms above her head, making her belly button peek for a few seconds. She sighed and looked at the clock again. "I should head home."

Sasuke really wished she didn't have to go, but he knew she was tired. "I'll walk you out."

Sakura nodded and stood from the couch and followed him out. He held the door open for her, but before she left, she turned to him and wrapped her arms around his middle tightly, her head resting snuggly on his chest. "Thank you for tonight, Sasuke-kun. It was fun."

Sasuke hugged her back, eyes closing momentarily as the moment felt all too intimate to him. His face leaned down and he had to stop himself from pressing a kiss to her forehead. He had to control himself… maintain… if he tried to get too close too quickly he could ruin everything.

And he wasn't willing to let that happen.

As she pulled back, they released each other at the same time and Sasuke settled for raising his hand to poke her forehead gently. "Be safe. I'll see you tomorrow." He said, voice soft and then he turned from her and walked away.

Spending more time with Sakura was certainly nice, but Sasuke didn't know what to think about him feeling so much for her-so soon. Sakura was sweet and friendly… but Sasuke didn't want to fall too hard for her if she would never let him have her completely.

Still though, he couldn't help feeling that he may have already fallen for her just that hard.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Sorry for the long wait guys, iBloo and I have just been crazy busy! We're glad to be updating now and hope you guys enjoy this chapter. XD**

 **As always, thanks for reading and thanks so much for all reviews! They are so motivating!**


	9. Sweet

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Nine-**

Sweet

* * *

The weekend had finally come and Sakura was glad she was able to catch up on her sleep. On regular days, she rose with the sun, but not today. Today, she didn't have her alarm set up, or any particular agenda to do. Her phone was on silent, even if, there were no texts from Ino. Sakura smiled, she was thankful her best friend just knew her so well. Even if they were inseparable, they also needed their time to themselves.

Her parents were out of town, and Sakura had the whole house to herself.

She stretched her arms up, and a soft moan escaped her lips. She stared at her ceiling for a while before finally rolling out of bed. Sakura padded to her bathroom, tied her hair, washed her face and brushed her teeth. She hooked up her phone to the house speakers and started playing her favorite songs, singing and dancing around the kitchen as she made herself breakfast.

The coffee pot was brewing, filling the kitchen with its aroma. Sakura inhaled deeply and sighed. Coffee and pancakes. What could be better? As she prepared the batter, her phone _dinged!_

Sakura picked it up and saw a text from Sasuke.

" _Good morning, Sakura."_

A light blush painted her cheeks. It was still early, just around six, and she remembered he also had training on Saturdays. She replied to him and then put her phone down again, heart feeling light. It was nice to know that despite his busy schedule, he still had time to text her, even if it was just in the morning.

Ever since she met Sasuke's mother and brother, things have been going pretty well. They'd been texting almost every day, and he would invite her to dinner more often. There was one time he even made the trip to the hospital, just to have lunch with her. Sakura could barely contain herself when she saw him in the middle of the day. Their yoga sessions in the morning were done thrice a week, and Sakura prided herself with Sasuke's improvement every day.

"Maybe I can apply as a legit yoga instructor," she muttered to herself, before giggling at the thought. She knew it was a long process, and it would take a lot of effort, but with the years she had been taking yoga, and everything she knows, perhaps it wouldn't be too hard.

Her phone rang again, and Sakura took the pancakes out of the pan before reading. It was from Sasuke again. She smiled and then replied, not even noticing that her text might have been a little too long. Before she could even take her plate over to the table, she got another text.

" _I'm leaving town for my fight a day early. Getting out of here first thing in the morning. Since you're coming to the fight, I thought maybe you'd like to tag along with me."_

Sakura blinked and read that text again. Was that happening this week? Her eyes went wide and she cursed before frantically dialing Ino's number on her phone.

After what felt like an eternity, Ino finally picked up. "Foreheaaad," she whined. "It's Saturdaaaay, you know not to call before eight."

"Inooo!" Sakura screeched. "The fight! It's this week! I forgot!"

"What fight?" Ino mumbled, still half asleep. "Stop yelling, it's too early."

Sakura was losing her patience. She can't believe she forgot. "Pig, Naruto and Sasuke's fight. The one out of town. I forgot, we agreed to go, remember? My parents are out of town and shit-did we book a room?"

There was silence on the other line before incoherent screaming came through Sakura's phone. She pulled it away from her ear. "Oh my god! That's this week?"

Finally. Ino was awake, and rambling on, panicking. "I forgot, shit, let me check on the hotel."

Sakura waited, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. She stared down at her breakfast and lost her appetite. This was such a bad coincidence. How could they both forget? She pulled her phone away from her ear and clicked on the speaker setting. Now the entire house was filled with the sound of Ino's mad typing and rambling. For some reason, it calmed Sakura down-at least there was something being done. Sakura opened her browser and punched the dates in for Sasuke's fight. There were nearly no hotels available. She bit her lip.

"Fuck, Sakura…" Ino muttered.

"I know," Sakura muttered. "I can't find any openings either…"

Ino went quiet on the other line for a while, and Sakura was so anxious she wanted to throw up. Ino finally spoke, "I have an idea, but you're not gonna like it."

"... what?"

"Well, I like this idea," Ino laughed. "I mean, I would love it, and I'm sure Naruto isn't going to deny me but for you…"

Sakura's eyes widened and she gasped. "No…"

Ino laughed louder. "YES! Forehead, call Sasuke up. I'll be at your house in like an hour. I'll bring Naruto with me."

"No!" Sakura stood, screaming bloody murder at her best friend. "No, you're not suggesting what I think you are!"

Ino snorted. "Forehead, please. You and I are so in sync. You know exactly what I'm suggesting."

"Noooo!" Sakura was whining like a baby, seriously hating what Ino's suggestion was doing to her poor heart. If it beat any faster, she was afraid she would get a heart attack. "You're not serious."

"Stop being such a prude." Sakura could hear Ino rolling her eyes. "It's only what? One, two nights? He's not gonna rape you, you know."

"SHUT UP!" Sakura screeched, her face turning beet red.

"Hey, if he touches you inappropriately, let me at him."

Sakura sank back down into her chair. "I hate you. I don't like this. Can't Sasuke and Naruto just share the room, and we get another?"

Ino snorted again. "No way, Sakura. I want my man to myself. I don't see why you're complaining, too. Sasuke's hot… he's an asshole, but he's hot."

The pinkette pushed her food around her plate, frowning at what her best friend suggested. "I hate you…" she muttered.

Ino laughed. "I love you, too. Now I'm getting off. I'll take a shower and be right there. Also, want me to grab something for you along the way?"

"A separate hotel room would be nice," she spat.

"Okay, I know I'm rich, but I can't just purchase a hotel on the way. I gotta check a lot of things and like-"

"Forget it!" Sakura cut her off. She couldn't believe Ino was actually going into detail about spontaneously purchasing property "I'll be here. I'll just… get ready also."

"Great!" Ino chirped and ended the call.

Sakura stared at her food, completely no will to eat… or live. This was not happening. Her whole house was now silent, devoid of Ino's voice, and her music. Although the smell of coffee was comforting, she was going to need a lot more than that to make her feel better. Her phone buzzed again, and it was a text from Sasuke, stating he wouldn't be responding since he was going to start training. She frowned and looked at the clock. He would have another two to three hours of training before he would see the message. Might as well get this over with.

 _Do you want to come over when you finish training? I'll make lunch. Ino and Naruto are coming over._

 _I'll be there._

Sakura was shocked to see he responded, and so quickly too. Of all the times she'd been with Sasuke, his phone was always hidden away in his bag or pocket. There were also times wherein she would listen to Naruto complain about how he never answered his phone, and Naruto would practically have to barge into his house just to reach Sasuke.

"Was he waiting for me to reply?" she mumbled, as she read the text again. Better not keep him waiting. She composed a quick response and then sent it.

Sakura tossed her phone away and rested her forehead on the dining table. "Why meeee," she groaned.

As soon as Sakura exited the shower, she heard the doorbell ring. Sakura put on a bathrobe and walked downstairs. She opened the door and found Ino, holding up a bag of groceries with one hand, and a Venti Frappe in the other. She had her sunglasses on and was looking as fabulous as she always did. Sakura frowned at her. They weren't planning on going out… they were just going to spend time in her home.

"I didn't get the memo," Sakura grumbled.

Ino grinned. "Forehead, you gotta look good all the time. Plus, Naruto's coming. I wanna get my game up."

This made the pinkette smile. "Sure, Pig. Come in, let me get changed."

Ino made her way to the kitchen, just as Sakura was going back up the stairs. "Put on something cute, will ya? No sweaters."

Sakura rolled her eyes. This was her house, and she was going to wear anything she damn well pleased. Then again… since Ino was in a skirt and a halter top… maybe it wouldn't hurt to put something on a little cuter today. She hated it whenever Ino would dress up so flashy that it put her outfit to shame. Then again… Ino was always far too extra.

Sakura opened her closet and scanned her clothes. She smiled when she heard her mother in her head, "you have too many clothes, Sakura!" But that wasn't the case! She just always had _nothing_ to wear. Sakura pulled out a pink bra and panties and put them on before discarding her robe on the chair. She then proceeded to leaf through the shirts hanging on her rack and jumped when she heard her door open.

"What are you doing, Forehead? You better not be picking out some lame sweater."

Sakura covered her chest, cheeks red before realizing it was just Ino. She sighed. "Don't scare me like that."

Ino grinned. "Whatever, if it were Sasuke, you wouldn't mind."

Her blush returned. "S-stop it!"

Ino laughed and nudged her out of the way, inspecting her closet. "God, you need new clothes. You got nothing here…" she muttered as her blue eyes continued to roam around the selection.

Sakura would usually feel violated, being half naked with another person in her room, but this was Ino. They'd seen far more of each other back in the day and this was nothing. Ino always loved to dress Sakura up like a doll when they were younger and nothing has really changed since then. Ino always liked to dress her up in more… daring looks that she wasn't so comfortable with, but as soon as she put them on and saw her reflection, it always boosted her confidence by leaps and Sakura always loved whatever Ino picked out for her.

"Okay, you gotta make this work," Ino threw a red crop top at her face before going back to her closet. "Where are those shorts that I gave you… aha!" She fished out a pair of jean shorts with little rips, she held it up with a triumphant smile on her face. "Perfect. I swear, these are adorable. I don't know why you don't wear them." She pouted.

Sakura put on the crop top and felt the wind caress her bare stomach. "Ino this is too short!"

"High waisted shorts make up for it," Ino handed her the shorts and Sakura put it on, grumbling as she did so. However, the shorts weren't high enough.

They came right under her belly button, and as she looked at her reflection, if her arms were down, you wouldn't see any of her tummy. But as she raised them, the top rode up, nearly exposing until the edge of her bra.

"Why do I even have this?" Sakura asked before glaring at Ino. "There is no way in hell my father would let me wear this out."

Ino laughed. "But you're not going out, you're staying in and that's fine." She grinned.

"Have I told you I hate you?"

"Yes, and I love you too. But can you save the mush for when Sasuke gets here?" Ino grinned.

Sakura threw her head back and groaned. "Can you stop teasing me with him? I don't even think he likes me."

Her best friend scoffed. "Shut up, Forehead. Anyone with eyes knows he likes you." She hooked her arm with Sakura's and led them down the stairs. "Besides, even if you're not telling me stuff, Naruto has." She then glared at the pinkette. "Spill."

Oh fuck.

"There's nothing to… spill?" Sakura laughed nervously.

"Bull shit!" Ino screeched, making Sakura jump. Ino sat her down on the sofa and towered over her, hands on her hips. "Spill. He brought you lunch. How did he even have your lunchbox? Did you seriously do the walk of shame without telling me?" Ino was hysterical.

"I did not!" Sakura hid her face behind her hands. "I was just teaching him yoga!"

"Teaching him yoga," Ino repeated. "Is that how exercise junkies call Netflix and Chill now?"

Sakura pulled her hands down and glared at Ino. "I haven't done anything like that."

Ino pouted and crossed her arms across her chest. "Then why didn't you tell me? Sakura, you never hide things from me."

Her green eyes softened and she looked away. Why had she been hiding this from Ino? She was the one who introduced them to each other, and she was her best friend. Ino knew Sakura inside and out, probably better than her own mother.

"I'm sorry…" she apologized and lifted her gaze to meet hers. "If anything else happens, I'll tell you."

Ino's eyes softened, and her arms dropped to her sides. "Promise?"

Sakura smiled. "Promise."

Ino helped her up from the sofa and they hugged it out. Sakura sighed and felt her heart feel so much lighter. It always felt good to know that she and Ino were good again. Although she wasn't so sure if she really would tell Ino everything…

The two girls made the house feel lively again. Ino hooked her phone up to the speakers and started playing music. The two of them moved around, cooking lunch. Ino was in charge of pasta, while Sakura baked salmon. Ino even snapped a few photos and posted an Instagram story of the two of them dancing around the kitchen. It felt good having her best friend with her, doing the regular weekend things they used to. Sakura felt completely at ease that is, until the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Ino sang before dashing for the front door.

Sakura held on to the spatula a little too tight. She took a deep breath to calm herself, just as Naruto and Sasuke came walking into the kitchen, holding up bottles of beer.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned. He placed the beer down on the counter and snuck a quick kiss on her cheek. "Your house is huge! And damn, that looks good." Naruto eyed the batter in the bowl and tried to stick his finger in but Sakura stopped him.

"Don't eat it raw!" she chided. "I'll put it in the oven after the Salmon's done."

"Yeah, back the hell up, Dobe." Sasuke said, pushing him away. "Hey." He said then, eyes moving to Sakura's before slowly trailing down her torso.

Sakura put the spatula down and gave him a little wave, making her shirt ride up a bit, but not enough to see her skin. "Hey. Hope you didn't have a hard time finding the place."

Naruto shoved Sasuke out of the way, as he grabbed a hold on Ino's waist. "No way, Sakura-chan. Everyone knows where this place is."

Ino laughed. "Yeah, and Naruto's been here before, remember? When we dropped you off?"

"Oh right…" She looked at the batter and took a baking sheet. "You remember that?"

"Of course!" Naruto grinned cheekily. He then looked at Sasuke and waggled his eyebrows. "Too bad you weren't there, Teme. Too busy _training_ to hang out with us."

Sasuke glared at him. "Shut up."

Sakura laughed. "It's okay, Sasuke-kun. You didn't miss much. We can always have dinner out again together." She talked as she dropped the batter onto the sheet, and Naruto and Ino moved out of the way, heading to the stove.

Sasuke took the opportunity to move closer to Sakura, still glaring at the back of Naruto's head before he finally relaxed and watched Sakura as she worked. "Dinner? Sounds interesting… How about my fight though?"

Sakura dropped the spoon she was holding and hastily ducked down to pick it up. "I-about that…" Her cheeks were burning, and she looked at Ino, silently pleading for help, but the blond was too busy with her pasta sauce and Naruto's hand on her ass. She grimaced and looked at Sasuke. "We… we forgot to book a room and we checked but everything's full and…"

"I have a room." He told her.

The pinkette didn't respond. She looked at the cookie dough on the sheet and tried to place another, hiding her red face from him. Her heart was beating so fast she was afraid he could hear it.

"...You're… gonna come watch me, right? Don't let the sleeping arrangements stop you. I want you there."

"Of course she will!" Ino bursted in, flinging her arm around Sakura's shoulders. "Thanks for offering, Sasuke-kun, that's so sweet of you."

Sakura glared at her, still red in the face. "How about you, Pig?"

"Don't worry about me," Ino grinned slyly. "I'm sleeping in Naruto's room."

Naruto joined them, a goofy smile on his face. "It'll be fun."

"So?" Sasuke asked, looking to Sakura hopefully. He wanted an answer from her.

"... Okay," she mumbled. "Only if it's really okay with you, I don't want to intrude…"

"Hn." Sasuke smirked then. "Didn't I say I wanted you there?"

Sakura's blush turned an even deeper shade of red. Seriously, why did he have this effect on her? It should be illegal.

Naruto slapped Sasuke's back. "No funny business, Teme. No sex before fights, you know that."

"Whaaaat?" Ino pouted.

Naruto blushed then. "S-sorry, Ino-chan. Doesn't do us much good, ya know?" he then looked up at her and smiled shyly. "Maybe after?"

"Get a room!" Sakura flung flour at the two of them. "I don't wanna know!"

Ino closed her eyes and screamed. "Forehead, what the hell!"

"Get out!" Sakura screamed. "Get out, get out!"

"Geez," Ino rubbed the flour away from her face. "As if you don't already know."

Sakura was still red and fuming. "Set the damn table I'm almost done here."

Ino and Naruto headed to the powder room to clean up from the flour that Sakura so generously threw at them while Sasuke set the table. They were both quiet, only the music floating between them. Sakura tried hard to keep her attention to the task at hand, but it was so hard when Sasuke was right there, just a few feet away… setting her damn dinner table.

She still couldn't believe he was here, in her home. The fact that he was setting the table for four people had her thinking what if… what if she brought Sasuke home and introduced him to her parents. The four of them enjoying a meal together, and him talking to her father and her mother teasing her to no end about just how handsome Sasuke is. She swallowed and tore her gaze away from him, back at her salmon now as she sprinkled some herbs over it.

 _Get over it, Sakura._ She told herself. It's not gonna happen… not now, at least. She bit her lip and tried not to cry about it. She hated that he was right here. Right here in her home and yet she couldn't tell her parents about it. The most she would ever tell them was that Ino came over and they ate and watched movies. Not about how there was a boy she liked, and how polite he was and how he set the damn table.

"Sakura…" he looked up and waited for her to meet his gaze. When she looked at him, her heart stopped. He looked so casual. He was just in a shirt and shorts, and yet seeing him standing there, by the head of the table, holding onto a glass… was it weird that it did things to her heart? "I need another one…"

"Oh, sure." Sakura put the herbs down and went to the cupboard. She opened the cabinet and reached up for a glass, exposing her entire side. It was so close, and yet so far. She hated how her father purposely put some of the dining ware in hard to reach places just so she and her mother would come to ask him for help. He was such a clingy dad that way but she loved him anyway.

Sasuke walked up behind her, his front brushing up against her back as he reached over her and grabbed the glass. "I got it." He said, not backing up. Sakura's body stiffened at the feel of him and if she blushed anymore, she didn't know if she would make it.

Sakura looked at him, eyes wide and lips parted. He was standing so close to her. Close enough for her to smell his cologne and that scent that was just so undeniably Sasuke. She looked at his lips for a moment before catching herself and looking away. "Do-do you have everything you need?"

"Hn." He answered, but stared down at her for several more beats before finally taking a step back.

"O-okay. Umm… I just need to bring this over, and check on the cookies…" She looked at the salmon on the counter and then back up at Sasuke.

"I'll take it. You check your cookies." He said, picking up the tray and carrying it and the glass back to the table.

Sakura released the breath she didn't realize she was holding and took some more deep breaths before opening the oven to check on her cookies. They were still a little light, so she decided to close the oven again and readied the cooling rack.

Naruto and Ino were surely taking a while, and Sakura gagged thinking what they might be up to in her powder room. She would definitely have to clean that up later… or she could force Ino to do it. She hoped she was wrong.

Speak of the devil. The two were back, all smiles and flour free. Sakura didn't miss how Naruto's shirt looked askew, and so did Ino's skirt, but she would let that pass for now. She decided to roast her best friend later. Unlike Ino, Sakura had some self-restraint.

The three of them sat down at the table, just as Sakura was pulling the cookies out of the oven, filling the entire kitchen and dining room with the smell of chocolate chips. Naruto sighed and rambled on about how excited he was to try them. Ino added fuel to the excitement, telling them how good Sakura's cookies were.

Sakura laughed it off and placed some on a plate and brought it with her to the table. She placed them in the center and took the empty seat next to Sasuke, half glaring at Ino for choosing the seating arrangement. She only grinned at her. "Let's eat!"

The four of them helped themselves to the salmon and the pasta. Naruto was too vocal about how much he loved everything, and how good it all tasted. Ino was proud of her pasta, and Sakura appreciated that someone-other than her parents-liked her cooking. She then looked at Sasuke, waiting to see what he thought of the food.

"This salmon is better than that museli you make me for breakfast." He told her with a soft smile.

She returned his smile, her cheeks tainting pink from happiness. Before she could respond, Naruto cut in.

"Eeehh? Sakura-chan, you make this bastard breakfast? No fair, I want some, too." He pouted.

Ino raised her brow at Sakura. "Really now? Museli… For breakfast…"

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Ino. That blond bitch knew how to make her own museli, and it usually had to be prepared the night before. Knowing the implication, Sakura knew that Ino knew plans were set in advance whenever she met up with Sasuke. Her lips twisted, signaling Ino to drop it.

Ino pursed her lips, picked up her fork and sighed. "Don't worry about it, Naruto. I make better museli than Sakura does. Hers are always way too sweet."

It was a success. Naruto's attention was now back to Ino again, and Sakura breathed out. Bullet dodged from Naruto, but not from Ino. She was going to have an earful about this later.

"Nobody's museli is better than Sakura's." Sasuke grumbled as if he'd tasted everyone's before.

Ino narrowed her eyes at Sasuke, and just when it looked like he was going to say more, Sakura held on to his hand under the table and gave it a squeeze. She needed to stop this conversation before it got out of hand.

"It's true, Sasuke-kun," Sakura laughed nervously. "Ino's museli's usually a little more subdued… mine are really… sweet."

"I'm not fond of subdued shit," Sasuke muttered, sounding annoyed.

"Huuuh? But Teme, you hate sweets." Naruto squinted his eyes at him.

Sasuke gave Naruto the coldest look he could muster. "You don't know what I like."

Naruto raised a brow. He then looked at Sakura, and then back at Sasuke. A knowing smile on his face. "Whatever, bastard."

Sakura sighed, not realizing she was still holding on to Sasuke's hand. "Dessert, anyone?"

Ino perked up and offered to get the milk and mugs, Naruto stood up, took the plate of cookies for some reason, and followed Ino to help her.

Sakura closed her eyes and slumped back in her chair before giving his hand another squeeze. Once she realized what she was doing, she let go and apologized. "Sorry!"

"What for?" Sasuke asked, smirking knowingly as he reached to take her hand in his again.

Sakura blushed, but she didn't stop him. She liked the feel of his strong, rough hand in her small dainty ones. Tentatively, she curled her hand around his too and smiled shyly at him. "For…"

"Hey, forehead!" Ino called from the living room. "Wanna have the cookies while we watch a movie instead?"

Sakura tore her gaze away from Sasuke to look at Ino. "Sure." She then looked back at Sasuke. "You can join them, Sasuke-kun. I'll just clean up."

"No." He said quickly. "I'd rather help you."

"Oh." She looked genuinely surprised. "I don't mind, this'll be quick."

"And it will be even quicker if I help." He told her, standing and pulling her to her feet by her hand. "Don't you agree?"

Sakura smiled. "Can't argue with that logic." She then looked at Ino and shouted, "Hey, Pig. We'll clean up first. Don't eat all the cookies!"

Naruto laughed as he placed an arm around Ino. "Can't promise you that, Sakura-chan."

She pouted and looked at Sasuke. "I want those cookies."

Sasuke gave her a soft look before releasing her hand and walking into the living room.

"Oy, what the hell?" Sakura heard Naruto shout and a second later Sasuke returned with the entire plate of cookies.

"This way they can't eat them all." He said, setting the plate on the counter before moving to the table. He started clearing it quickly.

Sakura stood there, out of the way as she watched him expertly pile the plates and utensils together. Sasuke was now walking to the kitchen, and Sakura had to mentally slap herself to get moving. She took the glasses and rushed back to the kitchen. Sasuke was a pro, working around like he owned the kitchen. Throwing all of the leftovers before placing the plates in the sink.

Sakura placed the glasses in the sink, too and then went back to the table to fetch the tray of salmon. "Let me take the food first. You really don't need to help with washing, Sasuke-kun." She felt so embarrassed, he was her guest. He wasn't supposed to be cleaning!

"Why don't I wash and you rinse when you get done?" He asked, already starting to run the water.

This guy was unbelievable. He was really not going to let this down. "Okay, fine…" Sakura went back to the table and took the food, placing them in Tupperwares before placing them in the fridge. She kept stealing glances at Sasuke, who looked too focused on his task. Sakura always knew she liked seeing hot men in the kitchen but dammit, how could he look so good while washing dishes? It was unbelievable.

After placing the food away and leaving the dirty trays by Sasuke's side, she proceeded to wipe the table clean. By the time she was back at the sink, Sasuke was nearly done soaping everything.

"You work fast…" Sakura giggled.

"Really? I didn't notice…" He shrugged and started washing the plates first. He took his time then, as if he was worried he was rushing after her comment.

Sakura took her place next to him, their hips lightly brushing as she started to rinse. "Always so efficient, huh?" she teased.

"Of course. It's the only way to be." He said, smiling at her as he moved another clean plate over to her side.

She giggled. What was so damn funny? Nothing. But she couldn't help but imagine him always being like this, everything always done as efficiently as possible-like his fights. "I think it's a good trait to have."

"Good. I'm glad you do." He said, raising his soapy hand to her quickly, his fingers poking her forehead and leaving suds behind.

Sakura took a step back and scrunched her face, some of the suds falling on her nose. "Oh my god!" She squeaked, completely caught off guard. Once she opened her eyes, she couldn't help but laugh as she wiped the soap off her face. "What was that for?"

"For being too damn cute." He told her, laughing as well.

"I hear laughing!" Naruto shouted. "Not at the good parts yet, bastard?" He then grunted, and Sakura assumed Ino kicked him.

"Leave them alone, Naruto." She peeped from behind the sofa and grinned at them. "Continue, please. We're like, totally not listening over here."

"He's such a loser." Sasuke rolled his eyes and went back to washing the dishes, the moment totally ruined.

Sakura blushed, but laughed. "They're too cute together."

"Not as cute as us." He told her seriously, eyes locked on hers.

Sakura blushed all the way up to her ears and dropped the plate she was holding, the water coming up and splashing the two of them with soapy water. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!"

"It's fine." Sasuke chuckled. "If I get too wet I can just take my shirt off… you though, you may need a change of clothes."

The thought of Sasuke shirtless… in her kitchen… sent shockwaves all over her body. The heat was now spreading down to her entire body.

"If Teme's gonna strip, I'm out," Naruto grumbled. He then looked at Ino, who only laughed.

"I think I'll have to agree," Ino looked at Sakura slyly before continuing, "Forehead, hope you don't mind if Naruto and I go ahead."

Sakura cut her a ruthless glare. It probably didn't look as lethal as she wanted to since Naruto and Ino only laughed. She looked at herself, and she was soaking wet. She didn't even get a chance to say anything else since Naruto and Ino were already hovering over the cookies and took handfuls before saying their goodbyes.

Before Naruto could get out the door, he shot Sasuke a smug smile and winked at Sakura before closing the door.

Sakura was still reeling, and still wet with soapy water. She then eyed her cookie plate, only half full now. Better than nothing. She took a deep breath and sighed. "I'll get you a shirt. Will you please excuse me a bit?"

"Of course… but I'm fine really." He told her before drying his hands and tugging his shirt off.

She shamelessly watched him strip his shirt off and stared at him, her eyes roaming from his face, shoulders, pecs, abs, and she stopped right above his waist line. He looked good. Too good. Sakura never thought she would see him walk around her kitchen half naked and yet here he was, giving her exactly what she dreamed of.

"Better go get out of that wet shirt." He said, tone teasing.

Her lips parted, and her eyes slowly traveled back up to his face, resting on his lips. "Y-yeah, you're right." She bit her lower lip and looked at his eyes, yet didn't make a move to leave.

Sasuke came to tower over her, leaning down until his lips were a breath away from her ear. "Don't worry, the shirt will still be gone when you get back."

Feeling his breath on her ear made her gasp, and her face turn red yet again. He was definitely not good for her heart. "If you say so…" she shyly turned away and ran up the stairs, heart beating wildly out of her chest.

Once she got in her room, she slammed the door shut and sank down on the floor, holding on to her heart. Shit shit shit. Sasuke was in her kitchen. Shirtless. And they were _alone_. Sakura gulped and hid her face behind her hands. Her heart felt like it was going to explode.

Sakura did a few deep breathing exercises before getting back up to her feet. She peeled the wet clothes off and opened her closet yet again. She couldn't keep Sasuke waiting for long. Without thinking, she pulled a sleeveless buttondown shirt and a cream skirt. Then pulled the skirt on and buttoned up the shirt, leaving the top three buttons open.

She pulled her hair up in a messy bun before running back downstairs. To her surprise, Sasuke was already done cleaning up. His wet shirt hung up on the back of a chair, and he was leaning casually on the counter, a beer in his hand.

As soon as he spotted her, he smirked. "Took you long enough."

Sakura pouted. That was actually pretty quick by her standards. "Okay, okay." She walked up to him and took a cookie, putting it in her mouth and chewing slowly. She needed to do something for her to forget he was still shirtless. "Let's move to the living room?"

"Alright." He agreed, eyes trained on her mouth. "Shall I bring the cookies for you?"

"Yes, please." She walked ahead of him. Anything to keep her from staring at his bare torso.

Sasuke was right behind her, plate of cookies in hand. "I have a strong feeling that you're trying to avoid me."

She held the cookie to her mouth and took a bite. "I don't know what you mean…" she blinked innocently.

"Hn." He hummed, leaving the plate of cookies on the coffee table before taking a seat on the couch.

Sakura bit on the cookie, making a little bit of it stick out from her lips as she poured herself some milk. Once she was satisfied, she dunked it in the milk a few times before taking a bite. Some of the milk escaping the corner of her mouth.

"Whoops," she licked it away and took another cookie from the plate. "Don't you want some?"

"Ah." Sasuke reached for a cookie and stuffed the whole thing in his mouth.

Her eyes widened. He did not just eat the entire thing… "Seriously?" She asked. "How can you eat it like that?"

"How can I not… it's so good." He said.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "No milk? Just… like that?"

"I can't do milk right now." He explained. "It's too heavy on my stomach, especially since I just ate."

"Ah." She nodded. Sakura then turned her attention to the television and turned it on. The light was streaming through the windows, making it reflect. She then took another remote and pressed a few buttons, making the curtains close, effectively dimming the living room. She turned the air conditioner up higher, too.

"What to watch?" She asked him, a smile on her face.

"You're not going to choose Mulan again? Thought it was your all-time favorite."

"Nice you remembered!" Sakura laughed. "But no, not Mulan. You need a moviecation. Let's watch something else. Do you watch anime?"

"I watch whatever you watch. But when I'm at home, I watch fights."

Sakura tilted her head to the side as she took another bite of her cookie. "Something feel good, Sasuke-kun. I'll be watching you fight, anyway." She then grinned and teased, "have I told you about the time I first watched an MMA fight and screamed when I saw the blood?"

"No, but I'd like to hear about it… and I strongly suggest you don't watch Naruto fight if you don't want to see blood. His fights are always messy."

She laughed nervously and tucked her legs under her. "I know… but I guess it's fine. I'm usually not afraid of blood. I just-I was surprised." She laughed. She wasn't even sure why she was saying these things. Sasuke must find her weird… a medical professional afraid of blood. And what did she expect? Of course there would be blood involved during fights…

"I… never mind. Let's just watch something already." She looked away and turned to face the television again, flipping through Netflix for something to watch.

"What?" Sasuke's hand moved to her face, forcing her to look back at him. "Don't do that. I want to know."

Her eyes shone with unshed tears. Great, first weird now a crybaby. "I just… I don't want to see you get hurt…"

Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise at her words but after a moment, he smiled softly at her, his thumb caressing her cheek. "I fight to win, Sakura. Don't worry about me getting hurt."

She leaned into his touch, but the pout was still present on her lips, she looked everywhere except for his eyes.

"This guy I'm about to fight… he hates my ass. He's out for blood. But I never get worked up when it comes to my fights. I'm calm. He can't shake me and he's already fucked up. Watch me, I give him ten seconds at most."

Sakura snickered, feeling a little better knowing how confident he was. "You sure are a cocky bastard." She laughed. "To borrow Naruto's words, of course."

"Never cocky. Always confident. I know what I'm capable of… and with you teaching me yoga, I'm untouchable." He grinned at her.

Sakura laughed louder, and leaned on him, making herself comfortable. "Whatever you say, Sasuke-kun." She then picked a movie, and giggled when she saw Sasuke roll his eyes. "Don't be dissing Rapunzel. She's my girl."

"Fine. She can be my girl too." He chuckled, his arm wrapping around her to hold her close to him.

"Fine, you can have her," Sakura teased. "But I get Flynn. He's too cute."

"Don't make me jealous of a guy I can't fuck up." He huffed.

Sakura laughed and placed a cookie in her mouth, making the other half stick out. "Shure."

Sasuke's face leaned in awfully close to hers and she turned her head towards him slightly, brows raised as he moved even closer. Her eyes widened as his lips parted and then he took a bite from the other half of the cookie, lips so close to hers that her heart dropped into her stomach. He chewed slowly before licking his lips and all the while, she was caught by his eyes, and yet her gaze drifted lower to his lips.

She started chewing on the other half of the cookie… slowly, she closed her eyes and relished the sweetness before opening them again to see Sasuke still staring at her. She finished chewing and swallowed, her mouth parting. "Want another one?" she whispered.

"No thanks… unless I can take it from your mouth again." He teased her, smirking.

Sakura felt the heat rise from her neck all the way to the top of her head. She swallowed and hid her face on his bare chest… it did not help her blushing situation, but anything to keep her from looking at his perfect face.

"Stop it!" She then took the remote again and played the movie. "God I hate you." She was still leaning on him but was pouting the entire time the opening was playing. Her heart still racing. This was a bad idea…

"So… about my text. I have to leave early in the morning and I want you to come with me instead of waiting." He said before asking hopefully, "Will you?"

Sakura was still pouting, her brows furrowed together angrily. "What time?"

Sasuke chuckled, finding her too cute. "It will be around seven in the morning." He answered, watching her carefully for her response.

She blinked at him for a few moments before looking at the top right, her lips moving as if she was muttering something, but no sounds were coming out. "Okay, but can you pick me up from Ino's house? I need to leave my car there."

"Yeah, I can do that… why, are you staying there tonight?" He asked curiously.

She thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, I think it's best I stay there for the night."

"Alright. Don't forget to send me the address though and be ready by seven."

"Sure, let me send that now," she picked up her phone from the coffee table and proceeded to text it to him. While she was doing that, she asked, "why do you have to go a day early?"

He sighed and stared ahead at the television, even though he wasn't watching the movie. "I have to do an interview tomorrow night."

"Oh…" Sakura put her phone down and smiled. "But this is a good thing, right?"

"The bastard I'm fighting is talking mad shit. Everybody thinks I must be worried. He's bigger than me… he's had more fights than me and he's more than certain he's going to knock me out. It's actually annoying, but my manager insists that I have to accept the interview."

Sakura laughed. "You don't sound riled up at all."

"I told you… I don't get like that. The only good thing about the interview is when he sees it, and sees how unaffected I am, he's going to lose it. If I'm being honest though, I can't wait to fuck him up. He'll be eating those words, that's a promise."

She hummed and leaned in closer to him, her head finding the perfect spot on his chest and she turned her attention back to the movie. "I know you can win this, Sasuke-kun. I'll be placing my bets on you."

"If you want to win, you better." He laughed.

"Don't worry, that's one thing Shishou didn't teach me." She laughed.

"Well, she should have taught you not to gamble at all… but I suppose if you're going to, gambling on me is always safe."

Sakura smirked. "Good. That means I'll be scoring big time."

"Oh I'm sure you will."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Thanks for reading guys! It's been a while but we're glad to be updating. Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	10. Surprise

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Ten-**

Surprise

.

It was half an hour before seven o'clock that Sasuke walked out of his house, his duffle bag of gear hanging on his shoulder while he carried his suitcase in his hand. He popped open the trunk of his car and placed his bags inside before getting behind the wheel and starting his car.

Last night, he'd intended to get home early. He had to pack and get ready—and he needed to sleep. But being with Sakura, having her cuddled up close to him on her couch—taking in her sweet scent and talking with her about any and everything… he enjoyed it too much and he'd wound up staying until after nightfall.

He wasn't tired though, he was wide awake and full of excitement as he sped through traffic on his way to pick her up. He'd been nervous about asking her to come with him. Just having her come to his fight was enough for him, but to have her coming with him early—to know she'd be by his side the entire time… he was beside himself with happiness.

Slowly, but surely that girl was changing him. She was too sweet and damn adorable. He wanted to be with her too much and even when they weren't together, he wanted to talk to her. He was on his phone more than he'd ever been before, so much in fact that just the day before while he was at the gym, his manager dared to bring it up.

"Sasuke," He'd said. "I can't help but notice you're doing less training and actually socializing for once."

Sasuke had glared at him, having been in the middle of texting Sakura. "First of all, I train plenty. And I'm not socializing. I'm sending an important text that can't wait."

"But uh… you've been sending that text for fifteen minutes."

"Shut the hell up."

Sasuke rolled his eyes at the memory. His whole life was fighting and training to do so. If he wanted to take a damn minute--or fifteen--to send a fucking text, he would do so and he would not hear shit about it.

He pulled on Ino's street, his mind free of everything but the fact that he was about to see Sakura. He pulled out his phone as he parked on the street just in front of Ino's home and sent her a text.

'I'm here.'

Putting his phone in the holder he had for it in his car, his eyes moved to the door, waiting for her to come out. It wasn't an entire minute before she came bouncing out, carrying a bag that looked heavier than her--at least with her carrying it.

Sasuke rolled his eyes as he got out of the car and jogged over to her, taking the bag from her quickly. It was light to him, but had enough weight to it that he couldn't help wondering what she had inside of it. He took a moment to look over her, loving it when she was dressed casually as she was now. She wore a long red shirt that looked smooth and soft, and a pair of black leggings. Her hair was pulled on top of her head. She really loved her messy buns, and so did he… because when she looked like this, she was stunning.

Perfect.

"Let's get going." He told her before giving her an amused smirk. "I'm assuming you didn't forget anything."

A light rose color dusted her cheeks and Sasuke chuckled, wrapping his free arm around her waist and leading her towards his car. She was too easy to tease and he may have enjoyed it more than he did anything else—even fighting.

After putting her bag in the trunk with both of his, he got back in his car. Sakura was buckling her seat belt. He did the same before offering her his hand and it was only after she took it in her's that he got on the road.

"I'm glad you dressed comfortably. We'll be on the road for a good few hours at least."

Thankfully, Sakura didn't seem to mind the ride. She seemed as happy as him, talking lively along the way. She was all smiles and giggles, holding tight to his hand all the while. They stopped for lunch when they made it into the city the fight would be held in and after they took their time, Sasuke eating less than he normally would, then they went and checked into the hotel.

There was only one bed, which Sasuke was well aware of. It was a king size bed though, more than big enough for the both of them, but that didn't stop Sakura from getting flustered just at the sight of it. The more she blushed and got embarrassed, the more Sasuke laughed. He would never do anything to her that she didn't want, but he loved the fact that she had more than a few fleeting thoughts.

His interview wasn't until early evening. But, after they were settled, showered, and dressed more decently, they had to meet his team. Kakashi asked them to come for dinner. It had only been a couple hours since they'd had lunch, but they agreed. By the time they finished dinner it would be time for the interview anyway.

Sakura squeezed his hand and smiled at him. "Nervous, Sasuke-kun?"

They were sitting at the table with all of his team members. Sakura was glad to meet them all officially and she still seemed pleased to be by his side. For this, Sasuke was glad. He wasn't nervous at all—but he was eager to get the interview over with.

"No." He answered quietly. "This is nothing new. I just want to do it and be done."

"What if he's there?" Kakashi asked Sasuke, amusement dancing in his eyes. "I have a hunch he will be, and I'm always right about these things."

Sasuke shrugged, his thumb ghosting over Sakura's knuckles under the table. "It won't matter. He'll just get more pissed off. My plan was to submit him quickly, but I may just have to really fuck him up. There's a point of shit talking where I draw the line and he may reach that tonight."

"Just make sure you keep your head on your shoulders, kid." One of his trainers, Asuma, told him and Sasuke nodded instead of rolling his eyes like he wanted to.

Kakashi had reserved them a spot at this restaurant a month before. Especially with them dining in the city the fight was being held in—and it was now the night before the fight. Fans from all over were piling in and Sasuke was very popular. Too popular, if you asked him.

This restaurant though, had private rooms. They were dining in one that was more than big enough for all of them— and yet it had a comforting atmosphere to it. The food was good. The company was better. But before long, Kakashi announced that it was time they leave.

"We've got forty-five minutes before the interview. We should have left twenty minutes ago." He sighed and everyone got up while Sasuke had a long drink from his water.

"Move your ass, Sasuke." Another of his coaches ordered and Sasuke gave him a cold look before getting to his feet.

Kakashi's eyes fell to Sasuke's hand, which was still clasped together with Sakura's and his brows pulled together. "Let's not make a scene as we walk out, alright?"

His words really struck Sasuke the wrong way. He listened to his manager's shit constantly. He did everything he was supposed to do, but if he wanted to hold Sakura's hand then he would. So what if the paparazzi was outside waiting, so what if some fans caught sight of it. He didn't give a damn.

But Sakura pulled her hand away slowly from his.

Sasuke scowled at Kakashi but said nothing as they all made their way outside of the restaurant. All of his team members surrounded him and Sakura the instant they walked through the doors. There were dozens of reporters there, shouting out questions and snapping photographs. There were even more fans crowded around. Such a crowd had formed that law enforcement was there, holding people back.

Sakura seemed a little frightened, her head downcast as they moved along. It upset Sasuke to see her looking anxious as Kakashi repeatedly told the reporters that he would not be answering any of their questions. It took several moments for them to get inside the limo waiting for them, even though it was parked right in front of the door.

Once Sakura was in, Sasuke got in behind her and as soon as his team members were inside, Kakashi being the last to get in, the door was slammed shut and the driver pulled off.

They rode along, Kakashi muttering the whole time about someone at the restaurant giving their location away. Sakura relaxed and this in turn made Sasuke feel a little better. But they would face more craziness as soon as they got out to have his interview.

"Hey, you just have to ignore them. Keep your eyes on me." He told her, giving her a reassuring smile.

She returned his smile and nodded happily. "Of course." She then added a little softer, for the others not to hear, "I'm happy being here, I just don't want to cause any trouble for you."

They made it to the studio right on time, only a few moments spared—just long enough for them to get inside. Kakashi got out, followed by the team members who formed a circle for Sasuke and Sakura to stand within. Fans were screaming and even trying to push past his team members. It was no easy feat, being they were all big guys that posed as his bodyguards as well.

Sasuke glanced down at Sakura, her hand was on his arm and her eyes on him. She didn't seem so shaken up this time and that was enough to have Sasuke smirking at her. He wanted to tease her, talk to her. To hell with the interview. But then Kakashi pulled him away, three of his guys walking with them while three others stayed with Sakura.

His eyes stayed on her as long as they could, but she was giving him a soft smile and a wave. He knew she didn't want him to worry about her, but he did. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable, but he knew his team members wouldn't let anything happen to her.

Once Sasuke was backstage, a male makeup artist walked over to him. "Quickly, let's get you camera ready! Oh…" He trailed off before grinning. "Nevermind, you're good."

"We're on in two minutes!" One of the directors shouted and Kakashi led Sasuke to his entrance.

"Now, now… be on your best behavior, Sasuke." He warned and Sasuke scoffed.

"Don't worry about me."

Sasuke walked on stage, the large audience there roaring at the sight of him. This was his first interview this big. He walked over to where the couch was, the host sitting in a chair to the side of it. The man extended his hand and Sasuke shook it before taking a seat. The camera crew was already in position, they counted down and in less than a minute, they were on the air.

"Sasuke The Prodigy Uchiha, ladies and gentlemen." The host grinned, the audience was still raving and Sasuke just kept his eyes on the host doing his interview. "Well, I'm honored to be able to interview you myself. I'm actually a big fan and I must say, you appear more calm in person than you do on television." He chuckled before turning a bit more serious, though his smile never faltered. "So, tell us… how are you feeling? Your opponent has much more experience than you. It must be quite scary, right?"

"No." Sasuke answered honestly. "This is not the first time I've fought someone with more experience than me. I'm more than ready and I'm in better shape than I've ever been."

"Your opponent has had his own interviews. He's declared repeatedly that he will win and claims he will do so easily. What do you have to say about that?"

"I'm glad he thinks that." Sasuke said, his expression as stoic as it ever was.

"So, are you as confident as you always are? You're in it to win it, but do you have any doubts?"

"I know what I'm capable of better than anyone else. I never doubt myself."

"What are your thoughts about your opponent? Do you think he will give you more of a challenge?"

"I think he's hot headed. And I wish, but no… I don't believe he will." Sasuke shrugged.

"Do you have a plan of action going into this fight?" The host asked excitedly.

"Win. That's it."

"Will you go for a submission right off the bat?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

The interview went on for another half an hour and Sasuke was more than ready to leave. He remained cool and collected, answering each question impassively and honestly. By the time it was over, he was dying to get to the hotel. Tonight, he didn't want to see anymore fans or reporters. He didn't want his team to have to surround him and Sakura with every step they took. He just wanted to get back with her and relax. Tomorrow he planned to take it easy, probably not even leave the hotel except for his weigh in. Hopefully Sakura would be fine with that.

As soon as they were in the hotel room, alone and finally surrounded by peace and quiet, Sasuke turned to Sakura apologetically.

"I'm sorry about tonight." He told her sincerely. "Sometimes things are crazier than other times… maybe I shouldn't have brought you."

She smiled at him and waved her hand. "Don't worry about me, Sasuke-kun. I'm happy to be here."

Knowing Sakura wasn't upset with her decision to come with him, Sasuke found himself relieved. Sakura took her bag into the bathroom and had a shower while Sasuke went through his own bag. He pulled out some shorts and briefs and his shower supply bag. He would have one after her. She returned from the bathroom after twenty minutes, smelling so good Sasuke could concentrate on nothing else, besides her sweet scent and her choice of sleepwear.

His left brow cocked as he took in the pale pink t-shirt gown. It looked silky and hung down just to her mid thighs. It was a bit too distracting, but after a long moment Sasuke was able to return his gaze to hers.

"I'll have a shower now." He told her, voice having dropped a few octaves. He mentally chided himself as he grabbed his shower bag and headed into the bathroom, flustered as he was he didn't even think about grabbing his shorts and briefs.

Sasuke took his time in the shower, washing his hair thoroughly before washing his body. He couldn't stop thinking about Sakura in that damned gown and how good she smelled… damn it all to hell. He wanted her. He really wanted her. And yet, he couldn't have her.

It was all so frustrating but Sasuke somehow managed to clear his head and finish his shower. Once he was dry he brushed his teeth and only then did he realize he didn't bring his clothes to the bathroom.

"Shit."

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke snatched the towel he used from where he'd hung it up and wrapped it around his waist. With his luck, Sakura would probably think he did it on purpose, but he hoped not… because he really wished he hadn't made such a mistake.

With a sigh he left the bathroom, holding tight to to the towel around his waist. His eyes went to Sakura as he walked over to the side of the bed he left his clothes on. She took him in with wide emeralds, face heating up as her eyes traveled down his naked torso and then lingered where the towel began at his lower waist.

Now was not the best time for her to be looking at him in such a way, with him being already so flustered. But he couldn't say he didn't like it. Instead of grabbing his clothes right away, he stood there for a few moments, staring at her and soaking up the way she admired him--and the way her whole body flushed as she did. She was red all over and too cute for her own good.

"Uh… Sorry." Sasuke finally muttered after a while, grabbed his shorts and briefs and raised them up in explanation.

Sakura only continued to stare at him in shock as he turned and walked back towards the bathroom, smirking when he was finally out of her sight.

She definitely wanted him too.

As soon as he was dressed in his briefs and shorts he walked back into the room, shooting her a soft smile as he shook out his hair. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay…" She breathed, still a bit flushed as she looked over him. He loved that she had seen him shirtless countless times now, and she could still be this affected by it.

Sasuke settled into bed and Sakura scooted closer to him as they laid back and flipped through the channels to find something on TV. As soon as he found the Disney channel and noticed there was an animated movie playing, he tossed the remote aside, knowing Sakura would more than likely love whatever movie it was.

The proximity between he and Sakura though, was the only thing on his mind. His jaw tensed as she rested her head on his chest and scooted even closer. It would not do to be having ungentlemanly thoughts while she was so obviously getting into whatever movie was playing. His arm was behind his head, but before he could stop himself he'd moved it around to hold her, his hand laying on her side and feeling the soft, thin gown she wore.

Being with her like this… it filled Sasuke with an unfathomable comfort… and yet he wanted so much more.

They laid just like that, Sakura's arm wrapped around Sasuke as she snuggled close. Before the movie was over she was yawning, and just after it ended she mumbled something unintelligible to him--and then she was asleep. Sasuke smiled at this, his fingers ghosting up and down her arm as he thought about how at ease he was with her. He knew he could never be like this with anyone else. Only Sakura. That's why, somehow… he had to make her his.

…

The next morning came quickly. Sakura ordered room service for breakfast, though Sasuke wasn't having anything. This concerned Sakura and she questioned him worriedly, knowing he hadn't eaten very much the day before either. But he assured her he would have a big dinner after his weigh in later that day.

They lounged around all day long, watching TV and talking and laughing. They were having a great time, just the two of them. Though they were surprised not to hear from Naruto or Ino throughout the day. When it came time to get ready for the weigh in, Sasuke got out of bed and had a shower. He dressed in his branded fight shorts before leaving the bathroom.

Sakura was watching him eagerly as he dug through his gear, grabbing a black t-shirt with his logo on it before stepping into a pair of his training pants. He only used them to wear when he was going to his weigh-ins and when he was going to his fights. He never actually used them for training, he much preferred his loose shorts.

"Can't say I'm looking forward to seeing this bastard." Sasuke sighed, his eyes moving to Sakura now that he was ready. She was dressed in a pair of white capri leggings and a long, black dress shirt. She wore black flats with the outfit and her hair was down. She looked beautiful. Too beautiful.

"He's probably shaking at the thought of meeting you," she teased.

"Hn. Probably." Sasuke smirked.

More than anything, Sasuke just wanted to get it over with… and then get his fight tomorrow behind him as well. His team was coming to pick them up, but Sasuke was surprised when he found all of them in the lobby downstairs when he and Sakura were on their way out.

"What's the problem?" Sasuke asked, instantly becoming annoyed at the look on their faces.

"Paparazzi." Kakashi explained. "Naruto just did make it out… took them several minutes. The car is waiting, but it's best if we walk with you."

"How did our location become known?" Sasuke snapped.

Kakashi sighed. "Your buddy made a post on his professional account, bragging about how nice the hotel was."

"That idiot." Sasuke groaned.

"I've told Jiraiya too many times to keep Naruto off of that account. He is too unpredictable." Kakashi was annoyed too, but he was always good at keeping his cool. "Let's get going."

Sasuke grabbed Sakura's hand and pulled her closer to his side as his team members surrounded them. They walked out, dozens of cameras snapping and reporters shouting for attention. This time even Kakashi ignored them as he hurried to the limo and opened the door, Sasuke's team member's in front standing to the side while Sasuke and Sakura got inside.

The people were ridiculous, even so much as chasing after the limo once it started moving. It was annoying, but not unusual for Sasuke so he only sighed and gave Sakura a reassuring smile as they rode along.

Things were even worse when they arrived at the center. There were more fans than reporters there though, and Sasuke wasn't sure who were worse. They managed to make it inside after a few moments of struggling. Once there, Ino came bouncing up, all smiles as she pulled Sakura to her side.

A couple of Naruto's team members were with Ino, and a couple more of Sasuke's stayed behind with her and Sakura while Sasuke was forced to move along. He knew Sakura would be watching him. Right now, he had to get this weigh in over with, and hopefully get a rise out of his opponent.

Naruto had already been weighed in, and he and his opponent were standing up at each other, both of them looking pissed. Sasuke rolled his eyes, no matter how many times he suggested Naruto keep calm, the dobe never listened. There was one more set of fighters that went next and Naruto came bounding over excitedly.

"Oy, teme! I'm so pumped." He chuckled and punched Sasuke in the arm. "How about you?"

"Yeah… so pumped." Sasuke muttered, eyes on the other fighters being weighed.

"You're so boring." Naruto scoffed. "Well, I'm gonna go wait with the girls. See ya!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes after Naruto then, but sighed as he turned back around just as it came his turn to walk up to the scales. He walked up there, ignoring everyone and everything as he stripped off his shirt and pants before stepping on the scale. He'd gained a few pounds, but was still okay. Thankfully.

He was ushered to the side where he waited and watched as his opponent came up and stepped on the scale next. He was a rough looking bastard, long shaggy hair and a beard. As soon as he was weighed he turned to Sasuke with a cold look in his eyes, though he was smirking as he walked over to him, fists already raised.

Sasuke raised his fists as well, face as impassive as it could have been as he stared into the bastard's eyes. "Ready to get your ass handed to you, kid?" He snarled.

"Good luck." Sasuke told him coolly, and his opponents nostrils flared.

"Cocky little shit." He hissed, pushing his hands forcefully against Sasuke's.

It was then that Sasuke allowed himself to smirk and he dropped his hands. "You should save all that energy for tomorrow. I'll be ready."

Sasuke's smirk pulled into a grin when the man went to pounce at him, only to be grabbed by two of his men. Sasuke wanted to laugh, but refrained as he turned away and looked to his manager who was rolling his eyes.

Kakashi led the way off the stage, where a camera was stuck in their faces and a reporter quickly stuck a microphone towards them.

"There seemed to be a lot of tension up there. Is it possible The Prodigy is affected for once?"

"No." Sasuke answered before Kakashi could. "Only amused." He did chuckle then and the reporter raised a brow.

Before she could question him further, Kakashi was forcing him away. The reporter was raving about Sasuke's amusement and the way he laughed and Sasuke hoped it riled his opponent up even more. He hoped the fight would be interesting.

Naruto's team and Sasuke's all had dinner together. Sasuke ate more than his fill and had a good time, especially having Sakura with him. She always made him feel lighter, more alive. She'd come into his life and made it more than just fighting--and training to do so. There was more normalcy to the way he lived now. He wasn't just a fighter. He was a man… and he was enjoying this turn of events.

Another night of cuddling with Sakura and a good night's sleep and then the day of his fight arrived. He and Sakura had a big breakfast in bed, talking about his fight and Naruto's. Sasuke finally gave Sakura her pass to go backstage and she seemed just as excited as he was--actually even more so.

"Good luck, Sasuke-kun." Her smile was so genuine, so bright and encouraging. Sasuke couldn't help but feel her positivity wash over him, too. It only added to his excitement. She gave him a quick hug, and looked into his eyes a little longer before finally letting him go.

At the arena, Sasuke was standing backstage with Sakura, Naruto and Ino while waiting on their fights to get closer. Naruto would be fighting first and he had been bouncing on his feet since they arrived. Soon enough, it was time for Sakura to go with Ino so they could get to their front row seats.

"I'll see you later!" She waved. "After you've won."

"Alright." He grinned, watching her go with a gleam in his dark eyes. Now it was just him and Naruto.

"I hope you don't fuck up and actually lose for once." Naruto joked.

Sasuke snorted. "Worry about yourself, dobe. And how about you try to keep things clean?"

"Fuck that, I'm drawing blood with the first punch. Watch me."

"Whatever." Sasuke shook his head. Naruto would always be impossible. "Kick some ass then."

"You too, teme."

Naruto's fight began soon after and Sasuke watched on the TV, arms crossed at his chest as he stood there. Kakashi and his team members were at his sides, but keeping quiet as they watched as well. The first round was a blood fest. Sasuke was not surprised. He was impressed that Naruto had remained untouched, but also impressed that his opponent was still hanging in there--though he was just barely doing so. It was only a few seconds into the second round though that Naruto knocked him out.

"Way to go, loser." Sasuke smirked, definitely feeling more pumped for his fight now that he'd watched Naruto.

The time had come. Sasuke was eagerly following Kakashi through the entrance. His music was playing, the fans were screaming, but as he walked along his eyes were locked on Sakura. She was beaming at him and waving happily. He sent her a smile once he got closer.

After stripping down to his shorts and getting checked by the ref, vaseline was put on his face and then he put in his mouth piece.

"Alright, go get his ass," Kakashi said and Sasuke nodded once before walking up the steps and into the octagon.

His opponent was already there, walking around like a beast. That's just what he looked like. He didn't even bother pulling that ridiculous mane he had up. Sasuke was ready to shut him the hell up, he was bouncing around his corner, shaking out his arms as he looked over his challenger. He still was undecided on what he was going to do.

The ref stood between them and they came in closer to each other, listening to him. When he called for them to touch gloves, Sasuke raised his fists, but his opponent turned on his heel and walked away. The crowd booed him loudly and Sasuke just laughed.

It was time to fight, but Sasuke didn't expect with the bastard to hang back. Hot headed as he was, Sasuke just knew he would come charging at him… but he was probably more afraid than he let on. This only amused Sasuke further. He walked closer, but the man just kept moving further away. After a moment, Sasuke raised his fists in question. He knew what the bastard was trying to do, drag out the fight. Sasuke wouldn't let him.

"All that shit talking and you're just going to run away from me? Come on now…" Sasuke teased.

Though it didn't send the bastard into coming at him, it distracted him enough for Sasuke to jump him. Sasuke got him in a clench and kneed him in the face several times before twisting around to his back, securing his arm around his throat as he did. The man went to fall to his knees, but Sasuke held him up, tightening his hold around his neck while waiting for the bastard to tap out.

He held for a long moment, grabbing at Sasuke's arm but to no avail. Finally he tapped and Sasuke let go, turning his nose up as he watched the bastard crumble. The crowd roared in elation and Sasuke turned to see Sakura jumping up and down, screaming. He laughed before turning around in just enough time to see his fallen opponent spring to his feet and lunge at him. Sasuke dodged quickly and used his right leg to sweep the bastards feet right from under him.

"The fuck do you think you're doing?" Sasuke snapped, more than willing to kick his ass again… and again if he needed to.

Kakashi was inside the octagon then, along with the man's manager and they were having words. Sasuke's team surrounded him while the bastard was forced out of the octagon and not even able to stand by for the announcements. Not that Sasuke cared, he was just as pleased to be the only one standing there when his victory was announced.

Backstage, everyone was raving about the stupid move his opponent had pulled. Sasuke just shrugged it off. The guy was a loser and he'd proved it more than once. The situation was still amusing to Sasuke. There were a few fans backstage that he had to to acknowledge and sign autographs for but soon enough Sakura was running up to him.

She was all grins and sparkling eyes as she threw herself into his arms. Sasuke caught her, wrapping her in a tight embrace as he laughed. He gazed down at her as she held him tight around his neck and the next thing he knew, their lips were connected.

It happened so fast and so unexpectedly that Sasuke hadn't even realized it happened until it ended. Sakura's giddiness faded and her cheeks turned beet red. Sasuke's ears burned too as he released her and scratched his head in his confusion.

Did that… really just happen?

Sakura's hands covered her flaming cheeks and she stared at him with wide eyes. Sasuke wasn't even sure which of them had initiated the kiss… it had just happened so naturally. Their mutual excitement just… brought them closer and they couldn't help themselves?

But what did it mean… and why did he want to do it again? No… he was going to do it again, fuck it all. She squeaked in surprise when he tugged her against him, locking her flush against his body. Her eyes widened further and her hands pressed against his naked chest.

"Sasuke-kun," She breathed and Sasuke leaned down closer to her, so that his lips were merely an inch away from her own.

"That wasn't enough." He told her before sealing those soft pink lips of hers with his. She tasted as sweet as she always smelled and nothing had ever felt more thrilling to him, than it did to kiss her.

His lips moved against hers softly but with an urgency that surprised him. She responded though, manicured nails digging into his chest as she kissed him back, a soft moan humming in her throat.

"Whoa, alright kids… let's settle down now. A scene has been made. I repeat, a scene has been made."

Sasuke's lips pulled away from Sakura's with an audible smack and he glared at Naruto who instantly held up his hands defensively.

"Seriously." He grumbled. "Look around."

Sasuke glanced around to see everyone staring at him and Sakura… and Sakura was red all over and looking a bit faint. Shit. He sighed only a second before Kakashi was in front of him.

"Damn it Sasuke, what have I told you about causing a scene?" He groaned. "You'll be lucky if this isn't on the front page come morning. You might be in luck. I only see one reporter back here, but I'd be willing to bet they snapped some pictures."

"I'm sorry." Sasuke said to Sakura, not bothering to say anything to Kakashi. He would deal with him later.

Sakura opened her mouth to say something, but closed it instead. She gave him a smile and waved him off nervously. "I'm sorry, I don't know what happened."

"It was my fault." Sasuke sighed, looking her over worriedly. "You okay?"

She looked over to Kakashi, then to Ino and Naruto before nodding. "I think… I think you should ask them instead."

Ino had her hands over her mouth, and Naruto looked equally as shocked. Kakashi on the other hand… he did not look pleased at all.

Sasuke had to listen to Kakashi's nagging the whole way to the restaurant but he drew the line when they finally arrived there and his manager was still running his mouth. To do it at all was ridiculous, but to do it in front of Sakura… it really pissed Sasuke off.

"Listen, Kakashi… drop it. I'm a grown fucking man, in the public's eyes or not. I'm going to do what the fuck I want and you're not going to make Sakura feel bad."

He said it when Sakura had walked to the bathroom with Ino, and Kakashi knew just how serious he was.

"I'm sorry Sasuke, but this could turn out bad for you."

"And if it does so be it, I don't need you running your mouth about it. For once, I'm trying to live my fucking life outside of my career. I need you to understand and respect that. And most of all, you will respect Sakura. Got it?"

"Fine, I got it, but will Sakura feel that way when she has to deal with the backlash?"

Sasuke was pissed… he could only imagine how Sakura was feeling and he feared she would be regretting the whole thing. Sure the first kiss had been unexpected, but Sasuke wanted more. He needed it, and he took it. After Naruto humiliated her and Kakashi's constant nagging, Sasuke wouldn't be surprised if Sakura finally did run for the hills.

He didn't give a damn about the press and he did want to be with Sakura. If they ever became official, he would want to show her off. He would want people to know she was his. But… maybe Sakura wouldn't want that. He didn't want to cause her any problems, he didn't want her to suffer because of him. He wanted her… to be happy.

When he finally slumped down in a chair, Naruto was quick to take the chair next to him. "Shit, teme… I can't believe you pulled a stunt like that. I mean you of all people… even I'm not into PDA."

"Shut up, loser." Sasuke growled. "It just… happened."

"Okay but… a kiss like that doesn't just happen." Naruto shook his head. "I mean, I didn't even know you and Sakura-chan were dating!"

"We're not." Sasuke grumbled. "Like I said, it just happened. So, drop it."

Sakura and Ino came to join them then and Sasuke's eyes locked on Sakura. She averted her eyes, looking flustered as she took a seat in the empty chair next to him. He wanted to apologize--again, but he couldn't form any words.

"Sakura-chan, you alright?" Naruto leaned around Sasuke to ask. He couldn't have been too worried, what with the goofy grin on his face.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Naruto. I'm fine."

"Oooh?" Naruto gave her a sly grin and then looked at Sasuke. "More than fine?"

Ino pulled him back to her by the ear and gave him a warning glare. "Don't tease her too much, she might cry."

"Ino!" Sakura screamed indignantly.

The blonde only smirked and crossed her arms. "Don't pretend teasing doesn't affect you, forehead. You used to hide behind me all the time."

"Not anymore!" Sakura bit back, but immediately bit her tongue when Ino raised her brow and gave her a sly smile.

"So you don't mind Naruto and I tease you more, then?" That smirk on her face was starting to look permanent, and Naruto's fox like grin was back.

"I mean, if that's really what you want, Sakura-chan. Show teme how to stand up for himself when he gets teased, ya know? He needs it. Can't just pretend the stick up his ass gets deeper whenever someone does."

"Naruto, shut the hell up." Sasuke snapped, beyond annoyed by the whole situation.

Ino and Naruto laughed. "See what I mean, Sakura-chan? Teme can't handle it."

"Teach him good, Sakura," Ino winked.

The pinkette was fuming. It was confusing, too. Sasuke wasn't so sure if she was livid or embarrassed. Maybe both. He knows she was annoyed, though. But she looked cute when she was all flustered like that, too.

After a few more seconds of Sakura's fuming, Ino decided to drop the teasing and started a whole new conversation once their food arrived. "Hey, since we're already in this part of town, why don't we hit the beach tomorrow?"

"The beach? Really?" Naruto was so excited he nearly dropped his fork.

Sakura raised her brow. "What are you thinking, Pig?"

Ino grinned. "Oh, don't you remember? I have a beach house near here. We can stay there for a few days. I already called to check. No one's using it."

Sasuke raised his brow. Beach house. Was there anything this girl didn't own?

"Oh right!" Sakura exclaimed. "The same beach house we went to when we were in high school? That house was nice!"

"The same one," Ino confirmed. "What do you say?" She looked at Naruto and at Sasuke.

"I'm in!" Naruto cheered.

"Sasuke-kun?" Ino batted her eyelashes playfully at him. "Don't worry, Sakura's going for sure."

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak when Kakashi suddenly interjected. "Sasuke has training. Right, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed on his manager then. "I will go." He stated firmly. "I hope we can stay a while." He added, giving Kakashi a pointed look. He'd had enough of his shit.

"Perfect!" Ino clapped her hands together. "I'll have a car come pick us up tomorrow."

"This should be interesting." Sasuke said, smiling softly as he leaned close to Sakura, wondering how she was truly feeling at the moment.

Sakura leaned a little closer to him, too. "You'll love it, Sasuke-kun. It's such a nice house, and it's a private beach front. It'll just be us."

"Private is right," Ino boasted. "Not another house in sight."

Sakura giggled. "I'm surprised you didn't convert that into a resort or something, Pig. It's too big for a rest house."

Ino sighed. "You know how it is. Tradition matters. They don't wanna get rid of the house."

He drowned out their conversation, which went on about real estate. Taking some time off from everything would certainly be nice… being with Sakura was only an added bonus. Sasuke was tired of being hounded by his manager. He was an exceptional fighter, he trained more than he did anything. He lived his life to be perfect for his team--to reach his goals, always. But if he wanted to take a break he would, and it wouldn't hurt him. Not a single day, and not even a few.

Getting away would be fun… and the privacy would be nice. Even if Ino and Naruto were there. Sasuke could only hope that he could be on his best behavior and that he and Sakura could have a good time--and hopefully get a little closer.


	11. Kisses

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Eleven-**

Kisses

 _._

The car came in the hotel's driveway at eight in the morning. Sharp. Sakura didn't recognize the driver, but paid no mind since Ino seemed familiar with him enough. Ino always did get the good stuff. It was a big van, luxurious, too. For four people, it was overkill. But this was Ino. Overkill didn't belong in her vocabulary.

As expected, the car ride was lively. Mostly due to Naruto and Ino's chatter. Sasuke was pretty quiet. At first, Sakura thought it was because he was enjoying the scenery. But on more than one occasion, she caught him looking her way. Whenever she did, she would smile at him, and to her surprise, he would return it, too.

"Breakfast, anyone?" Ino looked back at the two of them. "I don't know about you, but I'm dying for a cup of coffee."

"Breakfast sounds good," Naruto grinned and looked back at the two of them. "You guys have been quiet, not making out, are ya?"

Sakura had half a mind to throw a tissue box at Naruto, but Sasuke's glare was enough to shut the blond up.

"I'll take that as Teme's vote for breakfast. He looks grumpier than usual."

"Shut up, loser."

The car pulled over to a local coffee shop, and the four of them went down to choose their food. It would have been better if they ate at the coffee shop. It was small, but cozy. The couches at the corner looked so inviting, but Ino had other plans. She insisted they eat inside the car, in order to cut up the time they would waste in transit. It was only an hour, but she had a point. There was no use wasting a perfectly sunny day.

As the four of them ate, the conversation died down, and the music took over. Sakura volunteered to hook her phone up and she chose a chill playlist. Perfect for getting into the beach mood. Once the food was finished, the scenery outside was starting to change. Gone was the cityscape, and the palm trees started to show.

Sakura pressed her hands on the window and her green eyes went wide at the sight of the blue ocean. It sparkled under the bright light, the white fluffy clouds hanging overhead. Soon enough, the sand started to show, and as the palm trees grew thicker, the road got smaller. It was still paved, but it was all too clear that it wasn't a frequently travelled route. The trees and other greenery started to block the view of the ocean until it was completely gone.

"I thought this house was by the beach?" Naruto asked. "I can't see the ocean anymore."

"It's still a few minutes away," Ino explained. "We entered our property a few minutes ago."

Sakura laughed at seeing Naruto's jaw drop. They entered the Yamanaka's heritage land around five minutes ago. It was still so underdeveloped it was a shame. Although with all the other businesses Ino's family had, it was understandable why this one wasn't a priority.

The two blonds began chatting again and Sakura felt a warm hand cover hers. She turned to face Sasuke and saw that he was holding her hand. His dark eyes looked hesitant, as if he wasn't sure if he was allowed to. But she smiled and intertwined her fingers with his.

Perhaps he was still nervous about the kiss… but that was an accident. She thought nothing of it… at the moment, at least. Once she finally came to terms what happened, they didn't kiss just once, but twice. In front of everyone. The heat from the memory made her lips tingle, launching the butterflies in her stomach yet again.

Maybe they could talk about it, and clear things up. She didn't want to think too much into it. Sasuke's popular. A lot of girls fall at his feet. Things like this probably happen all the time. And yet, she knew that there were only ever rumors of girls he dated. He was never seen holding hands with anyone--like how they were now.

"Hey, if you two are done with your eye sex, we can get off the car now."

Sakura wanted to let go of Sasuke's hand, just so she could hit her best friend, but Sasuke's hold on her hand tightened. He smirked and led her out of the car. Eventually, he did let go of her hand so he could help Naruto with the bags.

Sakura was too busy looking at Sasuke that she didn't even notice they were back at the beach front. The Yamanaka's Summer house towered over them. Even from her view point, it looked like it could house the entire clan in one go. She vaguely recalled that Ino did come here with her cousins almost every summer. And there were a lot of them in the family. It was an old Japanese style house that stood on top of a small cliff, facing the ocean. There were stone stairs that lead up to the house, a few beach chairs sat at the bottom.

"Woah, look at this place!" Naruto marveled at the ocean, but when he turned around to look at the house, his mouth fell. "Damn, you own this place?"

"What are you implying?" Ino placed her hands on her hip and raised her brow.

"Uuuhhh…" Naruto scratched the back of his head. "That… You're loaded? I mean like, I earn a lot but this place is huge."

Sakura giggled. It was amusing to watch Naruto appease Ino, or at least try to. Looks wise, he wasn't exactly Ino's taste, and she could say the same for personality. But it wasn't hard for Sakura to understand that her best friend was smitten with his charm and sunny disposition. Naruto was also fun to be around.

"Naruto, if you have time to gawk, then you have time to bring these bags up to the house," Sasuke deadpanned.

Naruto glared at him but jogged over to help. The stairs did look daunting. It looked like it was a two storey climb up to the house.

The boys were kind enough to walk after Sakura, who followed Ino's lead. She jingled the keys in her hand, and both of them didn't break a sweat climbing up. All that yoga was really starting to pay off. The two boys were also kind enough to carry all the bags up. Poor Naruto had to carry a house worth of luggage, though.

Once Ino unlocked the house, she slid the door open and let everyone in. Sakura smiled. It wasn't her first time here, and an onslaught of good memories came rushing back to her. The receiving area was huge, with a bunch of couches and plush pillows thrown around. Ino walked over to the window and slid it open. It led to the terrace, which overlooked the ocean. Sakura joined her, and remembered how romantic the view was here during sunset. At a certain time, it looked as if she was at eye level with the sun, just as it kissed the ocean good night before the moon came to shine.

"Okay, I'm gonna say it again…. This place is huge." Naruto dropped the bags and began exploring, like a little kid in the candy shop. He disappeared into the hall, and Ino laughed. Sakura could hear Naruto babbling about all the doors and rooms, and that he found the kitchen. Ino went to follow him, but Sakura stayed out on the terrace.

It didn't take long for Sasuke to join her. "Naruto is annoying. But this place really is nice. I'm glad I came."

Sakura grinned and pointed at a small island nearby. "I'm glad you did, too. Maybe we can also convince Ino to get a boat for us to go there."

"Have you been there before?" Sasuke asked curiously as he stared out at the island.

She nodded and sighed dreamily. "I have. The best place to be at during late afternoon. Though we should be back here before the sun sets. You get the best view right here."

Sasuke looked back at her longingly. "I agree."

"Foreheaaaad! Get over here! We need to talk room assignments!" Ino yelled from the other end of the house.

Sakura sighed and looked at Sasuke apologetically. "We should go before she throws the house into disorder since we're taking too long."

"Hn." Sasuke hummed, trying to hide his disappointment.

She giggled. Sakura knew Sasuke didn't like Ino too much, but that didn't stop him from coming here. She slipped her hand in his and led the way to the bedrooms. Sasuke didn't object, he even gave her hand a gentle squeeze as they walked through the corridors.

The house was old, the wood creaked under their weight, and the walls were full of old photographs. Most of them were blond-haired, blue-eyed people. Some wearing traditional clothes, some looked like they were recent additions. Sakura liked to look through them, as she recognized most, if not all. She laughed when she saw one of Ino's baby photos.

Finally, they reached the end of the hallway where Naruto and Ino were standing.

"Forehead, we only get two rooms, since it was such short notice. The others weren't properly cleaned." Ino didn't look too mad about it, as she usually would have. Ino always expected speed and perfection. It was never an "either or" for her. It had to be both.

Sakura's brows furrowed together. She had her suspicions but wanted to test the waters first. "Okay, so… what now?"

Ino and Naruto exchanged a look before she responded again. "Well, one room has a queen, and the other a twin."

"I call dibs on the one with a view," Naruto grinned.

"We called dibs," Ino corrected.

Now Sakura understood what Ino was implying. She was stuck with a twin sized bed… with Sasuke. She wanted to scream and protest. Why was Ino doing this? She knew Ino wanted to spend time with Naruto but this wasn't fair. Sasuke already had to share his room with her during his fight, now he had to share again? This was too embarrassing, even if she didn't own the house.

"Then show me where they keep the cleaning supplies and I'll clean up a room for myself."

Ino's whole demeanor changed. Her lips pressed into a fine line and her eyes hardened. "You are not cleaning anything in this house, Sakura."

"Yeah, Sakura-chan," Naruto pouted. "Why clean when we can have fun at the beach instead? Let Teme take the couch if you don't wanna share with him."

Sasuke's face fell before he looked at Sakura. "We can share the room, Sakura. I mean… we've already slept together anyway. I don't mind being close to you."

"YOU HAD SEX, TEME?" Naruto's eyes went wide and he flailed his arms around. "NO SEX BEFORE FIGHTS, WHAT THE HELL THAT'S CHEATING!"

To Sakura's surprise, it was Sasuke's face that turned red. "Shut up, Dobe! We did not!"

Ino rolled her eyes and muttered, "I'm disappointed forehead."

"INO!" Sakura admonished, and her face also flushed red.

The two blonds laughed. Ino then said, "let's take some time to settle down, then we can hit the beach. I already called to have lunch delivered here."

.

.

.

Sakura sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her hands, folded on top of her lap. Her mind was beginning to race. Sasuke placed the bags gently down on the floor and opened the window. A warm breeze blew in. True enough, their room didn't have an ocean view, but it did have a nice view of the mountains and the trees. Sasuke was looking out the window, and she couldn't help but stare at him.

He looked so good in a shirt and shorts. He also looked good without the shirt. Recalling how he looked with nothing but a towel on made her cheeks flush red and she tore her gaze away. It was starting to heat up in this room, despite having all the windows open.

Memories of the last few days came back to her, and she remembered the kiss yet again. His soft lips on hers. She doesn't even remember how they came to kiss. She just remembered how excited she was for him. She wanted to give him a hug, but it ended up into something more… not that she was totally complaining.

That second kiss though… That was something she didn't expect.

It started to feel even hotter. He had initiated that kiss. Even if she tried to justify he might have also just been excited, there was no way you could kiss someone you didn't feel for that way--simply because they were "excited". It felt like so much more.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Sasuke asked suddenly and Sakura squealed at noticing his face was so close to hers.

She gasped and tried to speak, but no words would come out of her mouth. Her eyes trailed down to his lips, this time, it wasn't just words that failed her, but her brain did, too.

Nothing. Totally blank.

Sasuke smirked before his lips were at her ear. "If you get any redder you might explode." He whispered.

A strangled cry escaped her throat. As much as she wanted to run away and hide, she didn't want to miss her chance to ask. She blurted out, "Why did you kiss me?"

Sasuke leaned back a bit to look at her, dark eyes soft as he smiled. "Because I wanted to… and I want to do it again."

Her whole world stopped after hearing his last sentence. She swallowed, but still didn't say anything. Was this guy for real? He wanted to kiss her again. "But you don't even like me," she blurted out again.

Did he not? How can she be so sure?

There was only one way to find out.

"Who told you that?" He grinned and then his lips were on hers.

Her eyes went wide as she felt his lips on hers yet again. After a few split seconds of shock, she closed her eyes and melted into the kiss. To hell with it. She had been dreaming of this moment. Sakura didn't want this to go to waste.

Sasuke's hands came to cradle her face, fingers digging into her hair as he deepened the kiss. Sakura gasped as his tongue slipped past her lips to find her own.

It felt even better than she imagined, definitely better than what all those romance novels promised. Her arms came up and wound around his neck, she wanted more of this, and she didn't want it to stop. Her tongue came to touch his, albeit a bit shyly at first. But once she got the hang of it, she found herself wrestling with his tongue more and more.

A moan escaped her throat, and she felt Sasuke's hold on her tighten. His arms wound around her waist, pulling her closer.

More. She wanted more.

"Temeeee!" Naruto called from the other room.

Sasuke grunted but ignored his calls. Sakura gasped, remembering where she was, who they were with.

"Temeeee!" Naruto was banging at the door. "Lunch is here already."

"Damn it." Sasuke broke the kiss with a growl before calming himself and releasing Sakura slowly as he stepped away. She didn't miss the scowl on his face.

Sakura was still reeling from the kiss, feeling dizzy and drunk on his taste. She blinked rapidly and tried to steady herself. Did that just happen? Did that really just happen?

"TE-MEEEE!" Naruto was still at the door, relentless. "Are you two having sex in there???"

Sasuke scoffed and went to the door, opening it quickly before grabbing Naruto by his shirt. "How could anyone do anything around you, damn idiot!" He hissed quietly.

Naruto blinked. He looked at Sakura, and then back at Sasuke. He did this a few times before it finally registered. "Oh SHIT!" He looked genuinely surprised, but it only riled Sasuke up even more. Sasuke scowled at Naruto, who laughed nervously in response. "Don't kill me, Teme. I was only calling you because I didn't want you to run out of food, ya know?"

"I hate you so much." Sasuke grumbled before pushing him away forcefully. "Don't talk to me ever again."

"Oh come on, Temeee!" Naruto whined. "That's not fair, ya know?"

.

.

.

Lunch was an awkward affair. The food was good, but the tension was high. No doubt Naruto already reported to Ino what went down while they were "settling down". And Sakura could not stop thinking about that kiss.

Sasuke didn't tell her he liked her, he showed her.

Ino kept throwing her knowing looks across the table, and Sakura knew she was in for it. Ino would want to know everything.

True enough, right after they were done with dessert, Ino excused the two of them and she dragged Sakura into her room. Ino locked the door and sat Sakura down on the bed. "Spill."

This girl wastes no time. Sakura's cheeks flushed and she covered her face. She wailed, "Inooooo!"

"Don't Ino me!" She plopped down on the bed and shook Sakura. "What happened? Did he kiss you? Did he touch you? Oh my god, did he eat you up?"

Sakura whined and made strangled noises. "He did not!"

Ino held on to her shoulders and shook her some more. "THEN TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!"

She pulled her hands away from her face and she yelled, "He kissed me!"

Ino screamed. She stood from the bed and pointed at her, "I knew it! I knew it! See, he likes you, I told you so!"

Her green eyes pricked with unshed tears. Ino was right, but it was too much. There were so many things happening and she didn't know what to do with all of her feelings. Sakura had never kissed anyone before, let alone have felt this way for anyone. She felt so lost, and she needed help. "Ino, what am I going to do?"

Ino gave her a sympathetic look and pulled her into a hug. "I'm so happy for you, Forehead."

"You're not helping!" Sakura whined.

Ino let go and laughed. "Well, what help do you need? He already kissed you. If you need sex tips, I can go on forever."

This girl was unreal. Sakura wanted to hit her so bad, but she ended up grinning and laughing. Ino joined in and they both fell back on the bed and laughed some more. Trust Ino to break the ice, and to make Sakura feel better.

"I don't think I'm ready for that…"

"The sex or hearing me talk about it? 'Cause you know I can go on forever." Ino was still teasing, and Sakura was thankful for it, but she meant what she said.

"I have never felt this way for anyone… neither has anyone ever made me feel so… reciprocated." Sakura still couldn't believe it. There were thousands of girls who wanted Sasuke, and yet here he was, setting her table, carrying her bags, and kissing her. "There are so many girls out there."

"I know," Ino nodded and continued, "who knew all it took was some museli and yoga lessons. Didn't know he was that cheap."

Sakura giggled. "Oh shut up."

"I'm serious, Sakura!" Ino was grinning, but Sakura knew she meant it. "Naruto tells me Sasuke has never dated anyone seriously. First, maybe second date, fine. But Naruto told me Sasuke's never been like this."

Now, this was new news, and it made her heart soar. "Really?" Her voice came out so small.

Ino nodded. "Who the hell spends fifteen minutes to send a text?"

Sakura laughed. "But really… what now?"

"What do you mean, what now?" Ino got up and flicked Sakura's forehead. "You go out there and show him that he made the right choice." She snorted. "Hell, he should already know. If he doesn't, he can fight me."

Now it was Sakura's turn to snort. She also sat up and grinned. "For real? I'll send him your way if he does something mean."

Ino crossed her arms across her chest and held her nose up in the air. "I'll have him begging for mercy in five seconds. No one messes with you."

There was a pause, and some silence. Sakura looked at Ino knowingly. They had been friends for as long as she could remember. That was no empty threat. "I'm sure he won't."

She shrugged and leaned a bit closer, "On a serious note, if he does force anything on you, he's already dead."

Sakura blushed. "He won't."

"Since you're sure, fine," Ino sighed and stood up. "I trust him, too, since you do."

Sakura stood up too and pulled her into a hug. "Thanks, Pig."

Ino hugged her back. "You're welcome. Now," she pulled away and held Sakura. "Let's get you in a bikini and show you off to Sasuke. He needs to owe me a favor."

Her cheeks reddened. "No way! I don't even have one on me."

"Duh you don't," Ino rolled her eyes, "That's why I brought you one."

The fire in the blond's eyes was hard to ignore. Sakura gulped. No escaping now.

.

.

.

How Ino was able to convince her to get into a bikini, she didn't know. But she vaguely recalled Ino pulling her shirt over her head, so that's probably how. Ino even brought her a cute straw hat to go with with the red string bikini. It fit so well, and showed so much of her flawless skin.

Sasuke and Naruto were already at the beach. Naruto looked like a happy baby, setting up the second beach umbrella. Sasuke was already sitting under the first one, drinking a can of beer. Her mouth went dry and her heart beat faster. She didn't know how he would react when he saw her like this.

Ino dragged her to where the boys were at, and Sakura's nerves only got higher.

"Ino-chan, Sakura-chan!" Naruto waved at them.

Sasuke shifted his gaze towards them. His eyes went wide and he looked away quickly.

Sakura froze. She was sure she didn't imagine that. He looked at her… and now, he refused to look her way. Did he not like it?

"Ino-chan you look amazing." Naruto was practically drooling.

Ino flipped her hair and shifted her body to give him a little pose. "You like it?"

Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "You bet!" His gaze then shifted to Sakura, getting an eye full and he grinned cheekily. "Damn, you're looking good, Sakura-chan. I'm glad you came here with us. Teme, don't you think so?"

Sasuke's jaw tensed and he crushed the can in his hand. "Why don't you come over here… Naruto." He suggested quietly.

Naruto looked at him and grinned mischievously, "I think I'd rather walk over to Sakura-chan, ya know? She looks prettier than you do."

"I said… get the fuck over here." Sasuke breathed, nostrils flaring.

Sakura's gaze shifted from Naruto to Sasuke and back again. She did not have a good feeling about this.

"But Temeee," Naruto laughed as he walked over to the girls. "Ino-chan's there, too. Why don't you come over here?"

Sasuke dropped the crushed can as he stood and slowly started walking towards Naruto. "We need to talk." He ground out.

"I can't hear you from over here, Teme."

Sasuke closed the distance between them much quicker then and Sakura gasped when Sasuke suddenly tackled Naruto onto his back. "I really… really hate you."

"What the fuck, Sasuke!" Naruto put some distance between them with his elbow. "The hell is your problem?"

"You are." Sasuke spat, glaring coldly at Naruto who was supposed to be his best friend. "I'm going to hurt you."

"Stop it!" Ino marched towards them and pulled Naruto away from Sasuke.

For a moment, Sakura thought Sasuke might also hit Ino. But when she stepped forward towards them, Sasuke immediately let Naruto go. He was fuming, and she knew his patience was wearing thin. But this wasn't a joke anymore. Both he and Naruto are trained professionals and someone could really get hurt.

"Sasuke-kun…"

He refused to look at her.

Ino had pulled Naruto away, giving him an earful. Sakura watched them go, and thought it was best to separate them for now. She turned to face Sasuke again. His shoulders were still tense and his fists were clenched. She hesitated to approach him, but she extended her arm out to touch his shoulder.

"Sasuke-kun."

"I'm sorry." He sighed before looking up to meet her gaze. "I didn't mean to… scare you."

She gave him a soft smile and reached out to hold his hand. His fist was still clenched and she covered it with both of hers. "I'm not afraid. I just got worried… for Naruto." she tried to stop herself from laughing, but she couldn't help it. She started laughing louder.

"I really wanted to kick his ass." Sasuke grumbled, still annoyed.

"Yeah," she giggled. "I could see that. Try not to, though? The nearest hospital is an hour away." Although she said that in jest, she really meant it. Naruto was annoying--Ino was, too--but there was no need to go full on MMA in here.

"Then he better stop trying to piss me off."

"Think of happy thoughts when he is," Sakura teased.

Sasuke's eyes traveled over her body then. "You're right."

Feeling his dark eyes on her body made her stomach do backflips. There it was again. No one had ever made her feel this way, but Sasuke did effortlessly. The way he looked at her, he made her feel so desirable.

"You do look really good, Sakura…" Sasuke told her. "But I'm not okay with Naruto saying it."

"Thank you." Was all she could say. But she was glad he liked her look. She was too scared of what he thinks of her.

"But actually… you might look too good." He mused then.

Sakura was starting to think that the feeling of her cheeks burning up might be permanent, the longer she stayed with Sasuke. He just didn't realize what his words do to her. What they make her feel.

She tried to laugh it off, but the way he looked at her solidified that he was serious. Sakura took a deep breath and calmed herself. "Maybe we should go for a swim to cool off?"

Sasuke got to his feet, smiling sweetly at her before taking her hand. "Yeah, that sounds nice."

They both walked towards the shoreline together, keeping conscious distance between Ino and Naruto. The sun was high, but it didn't scorch. The sand came from hot and dry to cool and wet the closer they approached the water. The sound of the waves lapping the shore made her feel so much calmer, a quick look at Sasuke made her think it had the same effect for him, too. Sakura looked all around her. Other than the four of them, there was really no one else in sight.

There were some houses on the other side of the cove, but she couldn't tell if anyone was home, too. Slowly, she walked a little further, until her feet touched the waves. The water was cold but so comforting. Having Sasuke by her side and the amazing view ahead was really nice.

"Feels good, right?" Sasuke grinned at her, facing her as he walked backwards into the water.

Sakura smiled and let him lead her deeper into the water. "Don't trip, Sasuke-kun."

"Like I'd trip!" He scoffed, rolling his eyes playfully as they got deeper and deeper.

She rolled her eyes at his pride, and then looked at where she was walking. They were now waist deep, more and more corals started to pop up around them. They were still walking on white sand, but her earlier remark about Sasuke tripping started to look more and more plausible. He was still facing her, his eyes never leaving her face. "Seriously now, you might trip."

"Really?" He laughed before he suddenly fell back and started sinking, but his arms wound around Sakura as if to use her to hold himself up.

She shrieked, and they both fell in the water. She didn't even know what was going on anymore. Next thing she knew, Sasuke was hoisting her up back to the surface. Her pink hair stuck all over her face, and she gasped for air. "Sasuke-kun!" When he laughed, she pointed at him, "You did that on purpose!"

"Of course I did. I'm really, really sure of my feet." He smirked. "I don't trip."

Sakura huffed and pushed her hair back. This was not how she wanted to dip into the water, but it didn't really matter, did it? They were both going to get wet anyway. Even if, she kept the stubborn look on her face and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Don't look like that," Sasuke said, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tight against his body. "It makes you even cuter than normal."

Although she was blushing, she was determined not to give into him. "Whatever," she peeled herself away from him and stuck her tongue out at him, like a child.

"So, you're going to act like a baby?" He shook his head before scooping her up into his arms, cradling her against him. "That's cool… you can be my baby." He grinned darkly at her, wading out even deeper into the water.

Sakura shrieked again and tried to fight her way out of his hold to no avail. Using your professionally trained body against someone should be illegal. After a few steps, she stopped fighting, but the water was now nearly up to Sasuke's chest. She guessed it would be over her chest by then.

He looked at her face and said, "Can you float?"

Her stubborn demeanor came back. "Of course I can! I can swim just fine!"

He smirked at her childish antics and let her legs go, but he shifted her body to face away from him. "Then float. I'll hold on to your head."

Sakura didn't say anything and chose to simply follow. She pushed her tummy up and evened her breathing. Her green eyes looked up to the sky, and she adored how blue it was. The big, white clouds were fluffy, and lazily moving over head. She felt Sasuke holding on to her head, and she knew he was there, even if she couldn't see him.

It all felt so calming. She closed her eyes and soaked in the feeling.

.

.

.

Once they were back inside the house, Sasuke let Sakura take the shower first. She wasn't going to argue. As much as she loved the ocean, she didn't like the sticky feeling that came with it after. After cleaning up, she put on a light green sundress and combed her wet hair as she walked to the living room. Sasuke was out on the terrace, looking over the ocean.

"Can't get enough of the view?" She teased as she approached.

"It's nice." He hummed as his eyes turned to her. "But I'd much rather look at you."

She blushed and shied away from his look. After their kiss, he was really getting bolder. She wasn't really complaining, but it wasn't good for her head. She felt like it was going to explode.

"I'll go shower now… and give you some time." He teased. "I expect your face to be a little less red when I return."

Although she tried her best, she failed at calming down her raging feelings. She looked away and waited for him to leave before she took a deep breath to calm herself. Sasuke was too much for her. His teasing only made it worse. She groaned and covered her face. Even if he made her feel things, Sakura couldn't deny that she liked it.

As Ino and Naruto set the table for dinner together, Sakura stayed outside on the terrace, waiting for the sun to set. It was still pretty high, but the colors started to change. Orange and pink appeared and melted with the blue, the ocean in the horizon started to sparkle in otherworldly colors.

"You're right," Sasuke stood next to her and watched the sunset with her. "This is a good view to watch."

She smiled but didn't look away. "I told you." She then looked at him and teased, "But I recall you said you'd rather look at me."

Sasuke's face turned as he looked at her, his dark eyes heated. "Did you think I was lying?"

Sakura tipped her head to the side. She looked so innocent, although her green eyes sparkled with mischief. The sky cast a warm glow over her face as she responded, "You tell me."

"There's nothing I'd rather see more, than you." He told her softly, fingers moving to her hair-- face inching towards hers.

She closed her eyes and inched closer, too. Their lips met, softly, gently. It was different from their other kisses. The kiss didn't last long, as Ino started calling them for dinner. Sasuke grumbled when they parted, but she gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, and he looked slightly less grumpy. She giggled as she laced her fingers with his and led him back inside the house.

Dinner was lively as usual thanks to Ino and Naruto, who chatted away. It was as if there were so many stories to tell for the day like they weren't together almost the entire time. Nonetheless, it lightened Sakura's mood, but as they finished dinner, she remembered their sleeping arrangements and that made her nervous all over again.

Ino and Naruto were all too eager to say goodnight to the two and shut their door tight. But that wasn't until Ino winked at Sakura and Naruto gave Sasuke a smug look.

Now, Sakura and Sasuke were lying down on the bed on their backs, facing the ceiling. It shouldn't have been awkward, but Sakura felt like it was. They already shared a bed before, but that was a King sized bed. There was so much more space. Now, their shoulders and their hips were touching. If Sasuke scooted a little more, he would fall off. And Sakura was all too aware of the heat his body was emanating.

The window was open, and the sound of the waves mixed with the insect calls outside gave everything a raw feeling. The internet was slow, so watching a movie was out of the question. Sakura didn't want to play music either, as she wanted to listen to the waves. It was silent, and for a moment she closed her eyes, thinking she could go to sleep this way, until…

Naruto and Ino's lovemaking noises started to seep through the walls.

Sakura's eyes flew open and she gasped. Sasuke closed his eyes and grunted. It was like those two blonds just wanted to make things worse.

She swallowed and laughed nervously. She felt so embarrassed for Ino, but also couldn't help but think how Sasuke might feel hearing his best friend having sex as well.

"Ignore it," Sasuke muttered, rolling onto his side to face Sakura. "Just pretend you can't hear anything."

Sakura rolled to her side to face him, too. His face was just inches from hers, and although she knew she should be blushing, she felt comfortable… as if she was getting used to having him near her. "It's kind of hard when they're both yelling for more, you know?" she tried to joke, but she wasn't lying one bit. "I know Ino's always doing these things, but I can never get used to it when it's this… up close."

"Forget about them." He whispered, his hand raising towards her face, fingers ghosting over her soft cheek.

She could feel his breath fanning across her face. There was nothing she could say except whisper his name, "Sasuke-kun…"

He leaned closer, capturing her lips in a soft kiss as his thumb brushed her cheek. His lips moved against hers slowly, one gentle caress after the other. After each touch, he'd pull away slightly, their breaths mingling. His hand cupped her cheek after the first few kisses and his lips settled beside hers.

"You make me crazy." He breathed quietly.

Sakura took a breath and opened her eyes. He was blushing, too. She smiled at him and whispered, "I feel the same."

He moved closer to her, and she did the same. They both cuddled and let the world melt away as they drifted to sweet slumber in each other's embrace.

...

 **A/N:**

 **It's been too long guys, but we hope you enjoy the update! Please drop us a review and let us know what you think!**


	12. Adoration

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Twelve-**

Adoration

* * *

This short vacation at the beach was something Sasuke welcomed, something he was pleased to be doing, especially since he could be with Sakura. But there had been moments when he wished they'd never came. Naruto had been an endless pain in Sasuke's ass and he'd wanted to fight him, several times already. However, when he had Sakura to think about… Sasuke knew he had to keep his cool. Even if it was hard.

Sasuke was a professional. He did well under pressure. It was an almost impossible task to get him riled up… unless you were Naruto. He was always doing his best to piss Sasuke off in some way, shape, or form. Always interrupting him and Sakura at the most intimate moments. Always making little comments about Sakura that made Sasuke so angry he didn't know what to do with himself.

There was just something about that girl… she'd taken hold of Sasuke's heart, even if there had been a time in his life when he thought no woman ever would. She had done it with ease. He was hopelessly infatuated with her. She was so beautiful, so sweet and innocent… and kissing her was the most satisfying experience. He loved the way she tasted, the way her lips felt against his, the soft sounds that escaped her.

Sasuke wasn't sure what he was going to do… he couldn't even ask Sakura to be his girlfriend—much as he wanted to. They were both crazy about each other… and yet things were so unsettled between them. Sasuke was confused about many things, but what he was confused about most of all were his own feelings.

There'd never been a girl who'd interested him like Sakura. He damn sure had never gone out of his way to spend time with anyone, especially not a girl. The compliments, the closeness… everything that he was now craving with her, were things that he'd never wanted before. Why she was so different, he didn't know… but he never wanted to lose what they had. He wanted more with her. So much more.

Their second day on the beach had a lot more activity. Ino had been able to rent a boat that took them to the small island just ahead of the beach house. It was so tropical, so green. The verdure was plenty, the white sand seemingly endless. Sakura was in her bikini again and Sasuke had a hard time concentrating on his surroundings when there was her to look at.

She seemed so happy, steadily smiling, eagerly taking his hand as they explored the island. They arrived at a large cave that Sasuke thought ominous. He wasn't one to be really creeped out by anything or any place… but this was a cave. It was dark and moist and how did he know what the hell was inside that thing.

"You're not serious?" Sasuke tugged Sakura back towards him when she went to enter the cave. He wasn't sure where Naruto and the bitch had wandered off too, but he was more unsure about this cave.

"Don't be afraid, Sasuke-kun… look, there is light we just need to make it through. It's really amazing, I promise you'll love it."

Sasuke really couldn't deny her when she was so cute and surprisingly brave. He gave her a nod and then the two of them entered the cave, hand in hand. They walked close together, their steps slow as they moved through the darkest part of the cave. Soon enough the light reached out to them and it was easier to see.

The cave opened up just where the light of day was brightest and Sasuke felt awed by the sight before him. There was a small body of crystal clear water, perfectly rounded in the center of the opening and just over head was a hole that wasn't man made, but was so perfectly set above the spot of water, open all the way so the sunlight could beam down and leave the water sparkling. The water appeared to be hot, steam rising from it and there was almost a bluish glow emitting in this spectacular part of the cave.

It was so beautiful that it was breathtaking. Sasuke was taken aback by the otherworldly feel the place had, and the look of it as well. He turned to look at Sakura and his heart fluttered at how beautiful she looked, green eyes sparkling with excitement, lips pulled apart in the most precious of smiles.

 _Fuck_. He really was crazy about her.

"See? Nothing scary here," she teased. Before Sasuke could say anything, she turned her gaze towards the pool and mused, "this is one of my favorite places here. It's beautiful."

"Stunning." Sasuke was quick to agree, but he was only speaking about her.

His breath had escaped him and he couldn't believe how taken he was with her. These days she was always at the forefront of his mind. It didn't matter what he was doing… and it was even worse when he was with her. He never wanted their time together to end. If he could have been with her everyday, he would have been. Happily. Honestly, there was nothing he wanted more.

"Sakura," He called, swallowing as he moved closer to her. His heart acted up again when she tilted her head and gazed up at him. She just had to be _so_ beautiful. He just had to want her _so_ much.

Sakura sucked in a breath as his lips inched closer to hers. He couldn't resist her, he just couldn't. The more chances he got to kiss her, the more he had the desire to do so. She never stopped him, but she never initiated a kiss either. Not but the first time… and it had been completely accidental. Sasuke knew she liked kissing him just as much as he liked kissing her, and if she didn't tell him to stop, he wouldn't.

There was the need to tease her, to have her wanting more—which is why he couldn't help but skim his lips across hers, slowly, just a soft touch that had her pulling in a shaky breath. As soon as his hands cradled her face, her hands held tight to his wrists. His tongue ran across her bottom lip, the way it quivered causing his whole body to shudder in response.

Sasuke's fingers threaded into her hair and her hands moved to his naked chest, nails scraping his skin lightly as he pressed a soft kiss to her lips. She whimpered in protest when he pulled his lips away just as quickly as he'd kissed her. Being with her like this was hard for Sasuke. He wanted to kiss her endlessly, and yet it left him needing more. Sakura wasn't like most girls her age. She didn't throw herself at him, she didn't offer herself to him. He was going to have to work to have her and he would continue to do so—even if he suffered in the meantime.

It was hard to fight the way his body reacted to her, but even harder to prevent himself from taking what he wanted. So he kissed her again. Their lips met this time much more urgently. Sakura returned his kiss with a passion. A growl rumbled in his throat as her arms wrapped around his shoulders, her own hands fisting into his hair. He kissed her deeper, his tongue moving against hers sensually, but with an undying need for more.

She tasted so sweet, a taste Sasuke had only acquired after she'd come into his life like a whirlwind of happiness. His hold on her hair tightened and he finally broke the kiss, breathless, dark eyes half lidded as his head dipped lower, lips moving to her neck.

 _No_. What was he doing?

Sasuke took a deep breath before swallowing hard and lifting his head to gaze down at her. She was maddening, even more so now, with that dazed look she had in her eyes.

"Sorry." He murmured, hating the fact that when it came to her, he could lose himself to easily.

Sakura smiled at him though, nothing short of pleased with their closeness and Sasuke quite liked the flush that had taken to her cheeks. She hugged him and leaned her head on his shoulder, steadying her breath.

He was so glad she'd brought him to this serene place that was almost as breathtaking as she was. He was so happy to be with her… he really never wanted this short vacation to end.

Sasuke pulled Sakura closer to him and sat on a short bit of the stone cave wall that protruded slightly. It didn't take more than a slight tug to get Sakura to sit on his lap and he wrapped his arms around her waist as they both stared at the sparkling water with smiles on their faces.

…

The cave and island exploration was fun and eventful, it was only the groups hunger that had them heading back to the beach house. It would take a little while for food to arrive, but they all had enough time to shower. Before long the sun would be setting and the end of their second day would come. Sasuke had a lot on his mind as he dressed in a pair of his training shorts after his shower. He stretched his whole body good for a few moments before leaving the bedroom to find Sakura.

He never had given himself the luxury of this much relaxation, and his body apparently didn't know how to take it. Maybe after dinner he would go for a run. Sasuke was disappointed to find nobody but Naruto in the kitchen. The food had arrived and Naruto was eating by himself. Sasuke, hungry as he was, was quick to join him.

"Where are the girls?" He asked without wasting a beat.

"They took their food outside… told me to leave them alone." Naruto shrugged as if it were no big deal, but Sasuke was curious.

"Hn." Sasuke started eating right away, finishing at the same time as Naruto. He'd always been a quick eater, and Naruto was too, he'd just eaten much more than Sasuke had.

"So, what's up Teme… did you get laid last night?" Naruto asked, brows waggling.

Sasuke popped him in the back of the head. "Shut up, Dobe. Even if I would have wanted to, your loud ass would have ruined it. Hell, we couldn't even sleep."

"Heh." Naruto snorted as he got up. "I'm _not_ sorry."

Sasuke stood as well, rolling his eyes. "I'm going for a run."

"Damn it, Sasuke… can't you ever just chill." Naruto shook his head and laughed. "Fine, guess I have no choice but to join you."

"No thanks," Sasuke said as he walked towards the door.

"I'm coming!" Naruto demanded, hot on his heels.

Since there was no point in arguing with him, Sasuke kept quiet. The two of them ran down the beach for half an hour before turning back to make the return run. Things had been surprisingly quiet, considering how much Naruto loved to talk. Unfortunately for Sasuke, the instant the thought had crossed his mind, Naruto spoke.

"When are you gonna talk to me about you and Sakura-chan?" He asked as they jogged along and Sasuke huffed.

"Never."

"Aww, come on Teme!" Naruto whined. "You're always so reserved, but you shouldn't be with me. You can talk to me."

"There's nothing to talk about." Sasuke told him dismissively.

"Don't lie to me. You reaaaally like her!" Naruto laughed loudly.

Sasuke ignored him and started running a little faster, but Naruto kept up with him easily.

"Fine, don't tell me… and I won't tell you anything that Ino-chan tells me."

That had Sasuke glaring at him and Naruto only grinned cheekily."What the hell has she told you?"

"Not telling!" Naruto sang as they made it back to the beach just in front of the house.

Sasuke lunged at Naruto and wrapped his arm around his neck, capturing him in a choke lock at the same time he wrapped his legs around his waist, taking control of Naruto's body before he could react.

Naruto fell back and Sasuke tightened his told on him, both with his arms and his legs. Naruto grabbed at the arm around his neck and he tried to get himself free but not no avail.

"Talk, loser."

"Okay!" Naruto wheezed, the word escaping him despite him choking.

Sasuke's loosened his hold around Naruto's neck but only enough to hear him talk. He knew if he let him go completely, Naruto would just take it back and not tell him anything.

"I was just trying to get you to talk… Ino-chan hasn't told me anything more than the fact that Sakura-chan really likes you… and I just wanted you to admit that you felt the same way."

"It's none of your damn business how I feel. Whatever is between Sakura and I is between me and her alone." Sasuke growled before shoving Naruto off of him and getting to his feet. "And why do you need to ask anyway? You know that I like her."

"Temeeee!" Naruto laughed and rolled around in the sand. He was going to need another shower. "I knew it, I did know but it's so much better hearing you say it!"

"Whatever, loser."

Not wanting to deal with him anymore, Sasuke jogged up the stone steps leading to the house and spotted Sakura on the terrace. He joined her, carefully getting into the hammock with her and they both stared out over the ocean as the sun began to set.

When Sakura curled up against him, Sasuke sighed, his arm securing around her. If they could only be just like this… forever. That would be true bliss. They were so comfortable. They were so happy. There was a long drawn out silence lingering between them, but they were both smiling—completely content with things just as they were.

…

All too soon their short vacation at the beach came to an end and Sasuke was forced to return to reality. The first thing he did after making it home was get ready and head to the gym. He was craving a hard workout and that's just what he had for himself. Naruto didn't come straight to the gym, and Sasuke hadn't informed his manager that he'd returned home, so he was all alone and he couldn't have been happier about that. He enjoyed training with Naruto, but he was in definite need of some space from the blonde.

Sasuke poured himself into his workout, making up for his couple days of relaxation. He'd been at it for two hours when his manager entered the gym. Sasuke stopped his workout and went to grab his water bottle before sitting on the bench. He didn't greet his manager. Though Sasuke respected Kakashi greatly, he was annoyed at how he'd been treated because he didn't deserve it. He took his career seriously, what more could his manager ask for?

"I'm assuming you enjoyed your time off."

One sentence and Sasuke was already pissed off. He scowled at the floor before sighing. "I did. I think I earned it."

"Don't worry, Sasuke. I won't argue." Kakashi promised. "I know I've been hard on you, but it's only because I know how much potential you have and I don't want you to waste it all on some-"

"Finish that sentence and your ass will be the next one I kick." Sasuke was on his feet and glaring at his manager then.

"Whoa." Kakashi held up his hands and shook his head. "I'm just saying, you're not a normal guy. There's a lot you must take into consideration. If you're going to be serious about this girl, it's not something you can keep a secret. Don't you know that?"

"Stay out of my personal like, Kakashi. I will do whatever the hell I want!"

It wasn't like Sasuke wanted to keep Sakura a secret, not even close. But they weren't officially dating anyway, they were just getting to know each other better. They were getting closer at their own pace and he wanted to enjoy it. He wasn't going to let Kakashi, nor anyone else ruin what they could possibly have.

He still hadn't met her parents. He still hadn't told her how she made him feel. They still had so much to learn about each other. They still had so much time to get to where they wanted to be. She still hadn't told him how she felt. She still hadn't given him the opportunity to ask her for more.

"Relax, Sasuke. I'm here for you, here to make sure you do things the right way."

"I can live my own life and I will. I've never taken the time for anyone, so if I want to do it for her I will not listen to your shit over it. My head is in the game, always has been and always will be. I will not sacrifice my career. Sakura wouldn't expect me to. But, if I want to take a day or two for myself, I am allowed that much. I deserve that much."

Kakashi nodded in understanding. "Fine, you're right. I'll keep my mouth shut unless you start slacking. That's not why I came to talk to you anyway."

Sasuke finished his bottle of water and threw it in the wastebasket before crossing his arms over his chest. "You have a fight for me already?"

"Yes, they were wanting a match as soon as next week but I couldn't agree to that. We have to keep a fair amount of time between your fights. I told them one month was the soonest we could make it happen."

"I get why you decided that, but I could have handled the fight sooner." Sasuke told him confidently. "I'm more than ready. Anytime."

Kakashi patted Sasuke on the shoulder and smiled. "I know, but that's not the point. Making them wait is for the best. Gives us more time to prepare and them more time to get worked up about it."

"Whatever. I'll be ready, like I said. Anytime."

Once his manager left, Sasuke called it a day. After taking a shower and getting into his car, he pulled out his ringing phone. It was his mother. Sasuke answered just before missing the call.

"Hello son, I'm so glad you answered. I'm cooking dinner, it will be ready in two hours. Bring Sakura and don't be late."

Sasuke stared at his phone in disbelief as the call disconnected as soon as she said what she wanted to say. Dinner with his parents? With Sakura? Damn his mother was so impossible sometimes. How was he going to get Sakura to agree to go with him on such short notice… and how would he deal with his mother if he showed up without her?

Knowing if he had a chance of getting Sakura to join him, he couldn't waste any time, Sasuke called her as soon as he got over his mother hanging up on him. She answered just after two rings, her voice so sweet and soothing that it calmed him instantly.

"Sakura, I know it's last minute… but my mom called. Is there any way you could come with me to have dinner with my parents?" He asked hopefully and a bit nervously. He knew she wouldn't say no unless she already had other plans, but he really had no idea what he would tell his mother if he had to go to dinner without her.

His mother didn't even ask him. She _told_ him. And that woman always meant business. Luckily for him, Sakura agreed and she seemed pleased to be invited. For that he was thankful, but he was still nervous to be going to dinner at his parents' home with Sakura. They were definitely going to embarrass him.

…

Sakura drove to Sasuke's house to meet him and then they took his car to his parents'. She was all sweet smiles and dressed in a thin cotton pink shirt and black leggings. The shirt was long and fitted, showing off her subtle curves that all too often caught his eye. She smelled good, the soft perfume she used now a scent he looked forward to every time he saw her. Like fresh flowers and fruit. Sweet and exotic at the same time. It was so _her._

On the ride she talked about how excited she was to see his mother and brother again, and how she was looking forward to meeting his father. He smiled at her, the soft genuine smile that was reserved only for her, and he took her hand in his. He hoped that without having to say anything, she would know how thankful he was to have her by his side because he just couldn't find the right words.

They arrived at his parents' home a little early and Sasuke walked around his car to open Sakura's door for her. She took his offered hand with a smile that made his heart stutter and he wasn't sure how he could ever like her more than he already did. There was no way he could ever feel this way about anyone else.

"Are you ready?" He asked, unsure if he was or not.

Sakura nodded, her smile never wavering. "Don't look so nervous Sasuke-kun. I promise I won't embarrass you."

"It's not you I'm worried about." He grumbled but found himself chucking at the way she rolled her eyes so playfully. His family would adore her, just as he did. But his mother and brother could be a little much at times.

They walked hand in hand to the front door, they weren't even all the way up the stairs before Itachi opened the door, his dark eyes eyeing Sasuke's and then moving to Sakura.

"Welcome Miss Haruno. I must say you look far too adorable to be wasting your time with my sour little brother here."

Sasuke glared at Itachi though he expected no less than this. "Leave her alone. And I'm only sour with you."

"You mean you're only sweet with Sakura?" Itachi grinned, face smug.

"What?" Sasuke blinked, ashamed that his brother was right on the money.

Sakura wrapped her arms around him and giggled. "Sasuke-kun is the sweetest."

For her, he would be. "Hn. You gonna let us in?"

Itachi stepped aside, holding the door for them, "of course, come on in."

"What a nice home." Sakura said as they walked inside and she looked around, her green eyes as warm as her smile.

It wasn't as nice as her home but Sasuke could tell her words were genuine. Her eyes swept around, taking in the details of the home he grew up in. The way she looked in awe made him want to take a second look as well, thinking maybe he would see how wonderful she made it look, basing on that smile on her face. She moved closer to the consul table and picked up a frame.

"Is this you, Sasuke-kun?" She grinned. "You look so cute!"

It was a photo of his first day in school, clinging on to his mother's skirt and holding on the hem of his father's kimono top. He remembered that day. He didn't want to be away from his parents, and Itachi kept teasing him about the sour look on his face. He was frustrated and also flustered, ears turning red.

"Not cute." He muttered, averting his eyes in embarrassment.

"Impossibly cute." Itachi corrected, reaching out to pinch his younger brother's cheek and Sasuke quickly swatted his hand away.

Sakura was delighted to see such a display of affection, she couldn't help but laugh. After watching the two brothers argue a little more, she placed the frame down and lingered on another. Sasuke looked much older here, proudly holding up a belt. "When was this?"

"My first fight," Sasuke smirked.

"First and already a win." Itachi added.

Sakura grinned. "Congratulations, then."

"I thought I heard voices."

The three of them turned to face her.

"Mom!" Sasuke greeted her, a little surprised to see her for some reason.

She placed her hands on her hips. "You have to excuse my two sons, Sakura. They can be a bit of a handful sometimes." She turned sharply at Sasuke and asked him, "did you plan to keep her in the foyer all day and let her starve?"

Sasuke turned red and looked away. "N-no." Only his mother could make him stutter.

She tutted at him and held on to Sakura's hand. "Come on, dear. Leave those two here and we can have dinner with my husband." She smiled at her. "He's so excited to meet you."

Sasuke stood there, gawking at how his mother just burned him alive. Itachi seemed unfazed, amused, even.

"She missed you, little brother." He winked and walked towards the dining room.

"No shit." Sasuke sulked after him. He just knew this was going to happen. Sasuke was a winner, but never when it came to his family.

Mikoto had the table set, a large spread of food dispersed along. She was patting Sakura's shoulder while introducing her and Fugaku when Sasuke entered the room. He just tried to maintain his composure, but his usual calm and cool facade had broken the instant they stepped foot in this house.

His mother was an excellent cook and she was a wonderful mom, but Sasuke couldn't take it when she nagged him, or when she did little things to purposely make him squirm. She knew him well and loved him deeply, but she certainly got a thrill out of making him suffer.

Sakura easily kept up with conversation, finding herself at ease with Sasuke's family. His father was a stern man, but even he was taken with Sakura and dinner was a lively event. Eventually the conversation turned to him and thankfully was about work, that was something he was always comfortable with. His parents never traveled to see him fight in person, but they always supported him.

"Are you preparing for an upcoming fight? I haven't heard any announcements." His father questioned him.

"Hn." Sasuke nodded and had a drink of his water before explaining, "it will be a month from now. That's all I know." Then he raised his glass for more.

"It must be even more exciting now that you have your girlfriend supporting you." His mother cooed and Sasuke started choking mid-swallow.

"Aw, he's so easily embarrassed." Itachi hummed, finding the whole situation humorous.

Sakura reaches over and rubbed Sasuke's back while he suffered through a coughing fit, her consoling him only worsening his embarrassment. His face had never been so red. He wasn't sure if he would survive any more of this night.

"I'm full." He wheezed, finally getting his lungs cleared. "I believe we should be—"

"Having desert." Mikoto finished for him and got out of her seat to retrieve the pie she'd baked just for this occasion.

Sasuke hated dessert. He hated sweets. _Or did he?_ He peered over at Sakura and his heart ran amuck. No… he'd quite taken a liking to sweet things as of recently. The sound of a camera shutter had his attention moving towards it and he glowered at finding Itachi holding his phone up, shamelessly taking photos of the two of them.

"Itachi!" Sasuke seethed and Itachi chuckled, taking another photo.

"Oh this pie came out perfectly, I hope you'll like it, Sakura, sweetheart." Mikoto was beside herself with glee. "I'm so happy to have you, Sasuke has never had a girlfriend before."

"Mom!" Sasuke screeched, the back of his neck burning.

Sakura held a hand up to her mouth, containing her giggles.

"Honestly," Mikoto just kept going, not minding that her youngest son was obviously having a near death experience. "He only ever brought home Naruto. At some point I thought they might have—"

Sasuke abruptly stood up from the table and gave his mother a look. He could not say anything, let alone _glare_ at her if he wanted to keep on breathing. But god, how he wanted to. "Excuse me," he sputtered out. He looked at Sakura and took her hand, taking her with him upstairs to his old room.

He needed to breathe, not feeling guilty in the least about whisking Sakura away and preventing her from having dessert. His mother was just too much, even after he and Sakura were safely in his room, he was still red all over. He palmed his face and groaned, knowing this was going to happen to him… yet he still wasn't prepared.

Sakura sat on the edge of his bed, watching him pace around his room and grumble incoherent things. She knew she should say something comforting, like how it wasn't so bad or how lovely his family is. His brother was a tease, but he seemed like a kind soul. It made her envy him, as she was an only child. Sasuke kept pacing, and this time, she giggled.

"It's not funny!" Sasuke grumbled.

"No, I think it's hilarious." Sakura laughed and relished watching his whole face turn red. She bit her lower lip, a sad attempt to stop her laughing but it didn't work. She replayed all the funny things that his family had been saying, and lost it when his mother implied she thought that he and Naruto were _dating_. Ino would get a laugh out of that. She laughed even harder and lied down on his bed, staring at his ceiling, finally calming down.

Sasuke looked at her, watching her laugh and have so much fun, even at his expense, was a delight. He just wanted to keep hearing her be this happy, to see her smiling like that all the time. He lied down next to her, their heads next to each other, knees dangling off the side of his bed.

"You have glow in the dark stars on your ceiling." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. She turned her head to face him and asked, "were you afraid of the dark?"

Sasuke snorted. "Hell no."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you aren't." She turned to face the ceiling again. "I was… for a long time. My parents put these up my old room, it was Ino's idea. I only found out a few years ago."

Sasuke turned to face her, wondering where this was all going. Itachi had put them up his ceiling when he was away during summer camp when he was twelve. That was the summer he would send Itachi letters about how he was doing, being away from all of them for a long period of time. He kept talking about how the stars shone at night, and that he enjoyed looking at them while he thought of home.

Itachi surprised him, telling him that he wouldn't need to miss camp this way, now that he was home.

"Itachi did it for me." Sasuke confessed. "But not because I was afraid of the dark."

Sakura giggled. "Sure. You're lucky to have him." She looked at him again, eyes shining and that sweet smile on her lips. "Your family is great. And you're lucky to have them."

He knew that. He really did. But the way her eyes glimmered… there was a hint of sadness to them. One that he couldn't quite catch.

Sasuke pushed a strand of hair out of her face and caressed her cheek. "They adore you."

"I'm happy they do." She grinned.

He pulled her to his chest and held her tight. She closed her eyes, finding that spot she fit in perfectly. He looked at the plastic stars on his ceiling and took a deep breath. Sasuke loves his family, even if they were really annoying. He looked at Sakura and stroked her hair, thinking about how thankful he was that they adored her, too. He also closed his eyes and enjoyed the rest that was coming down on him, completely unaware that his sneaky mother and brother were peeking from the crack in the door.

…

"I told you he likes her," Itachi grinned.

"Oh I know he does." Mikoto giggled. "I'm just happy I was wrong about Naruto."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hello! We're glad to bring you guys an update! XD We have so much fun writing this story and every review means a lot to us. It's so exciting to know what you guys are thinking! Hope you'll be looking forward to the next chapter, there's still so much to come. ;)**


	13. Parents

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Thirteen-**

Parents

* * *

Lucky for Sakura, she was able to have some pie before she left Sasuke's house. Her entire experience with his family, like the pie, was nothing but sweet. His mother was a great cook, and so accommodating. Itachi was also really kind to her, and despite his stoic appearance, Fugaku was also warm to her. His entire family made her feel right at home and she loved every bit of it.

Sasuke insisted to drive her home, but she turned him down, explaining that both her parents would be home. He raised a brow at that, but let it go. She appreciated that he knew when to stop pushing his wants on her… she wanted to spend more time with him, but also needed some time to make up a story where she went. Unlike Sasuke's parents… hers weren't as welcoming to new people in her life.

The lights were on in her parent's room, and she tried her best to stay as quiet as she could. If she was lucky, they would just peek at the garage and see her car, and call it a night. Worse case scenario was that they were awake at their study. Sakura gritted her teeth as she crossed the open door to her father's study. He was there, she could smell the tea. But he didn't say a word.

Quickly, she jumped into her shower, and took her sweet time, feeling the tension fall down her body along with the beads of water. She let out a sigh and finished up, wiping herself with her fluffy towels and wrapping her hair in another. Sakura started her usual face routine, placing on creams and moisturizer. Having some routine before bed always made her feel a lot calmer. She wrapped a pink bathrobe around herself and walked out of her bathroom, nearly jumping out of her skin when she found her mother in her room.

"Mom!" She placed her hand on her heart. "You scared me. I thought you were asleep."

She only smiled. "You were back so late. I didn't know where you were."

Sakura bit her lower lip. She totally forgot to text her mom. "I-I know. Sorry. I lost track of time. But I'm fine!"

"Thank goodness you are."

Mebuki was sweet, but she wasn't dumb. Sakura could feel her heart race. There was no possible excuse she could think of. "I was… out with friends."

Mebuki only nodded, seemingly waiting for more.

"Mebukiiii!"

Sakura let go of the breath she was holding. Her father was calling her.

"Mebuki, your tea is getting cold."

"I'll be right there." Mebuki called back. She gave Sakura another look before closing the door behind her. "Good night, dear."

"Good night." Sakura's voice was so small. She sat down on her bed and closed her eyes. Her mom almost never did this to her, only when she knew there was something up. Sakura tried to shake it off, but ended up pacing around her room instead. She was so distracted thinking of what could possibly give her away that she didn't notice her phone was buzzing.

After she finished drying her hair and putting on pajamas, she picked up her phone and saw a million missed calls from Ino. Not really out of the norm, but it wasn't like Ino to be so persistent.

"FOREHEAD CALL ME! IT'S YOUR MOM!"

All the fear came rushing back to Sakura. She opened the other texts and found Ino rambling on about a photo on her Instagram. She opened it up and saw what she was talking about. It was a photo of Ino and Naruto, lounging by the beach. But at the very back, she saw her and Sasuke's silhouette.

The blood drained down her face. This couldn't be happening. Her eyes darted to the likes and saw her mother's username.

"Fuck."

.

.

.

The next morning, Ino drove to Sakura's house, bringing breakfast from their favorite diner. It was hard for Ino keep a straight face when Mebuki complimented her photo with Naruto. In person.

"Oh, thank you." Ino grinned.

"You two make a lovely couple," Mebuki went on. "He's an MMA fighter, right? Shame to have such a cute face beaten up, don't you think?"

Ino struggled for words. "Y-yeah. It's okay, though. He heals quickly. Sometimes it's like nothing even happened, you know?" Nothing was funny, but she was laughing. Ino felt her nerves go into overdrive.

Mebuki nodded knowingly. "Some people do heal faster than others. I've never seen him come to the hospital to be treated, though."

"He has his own doctors." Ino was replying so fast she was scared she would say something wrong. Where the hell was Sakura?

"Well, if he needs to be looked at, tell him he's always welcome to see me." Mebuki winked. "I love taking care of cute patients."

Ino laughed nervously. "Surely. I'll let him know."

Mebuki walked out of the house and Ino felt like she could finally breathe. That woman was _scary_.

"Forehead!" She screeched, placing the food down on the counter. She looked up the stairs and waited, but nothing. "I'm coming up!" Ino marched up the stairs, grumbling and worrying her ass off how she was going to cover this up.

She already thought of taking the photo down, but it would look too guilty. Sakura never mentioned her excuse to her parents for their beach trip. All she knew was that Sakura said she would be with her. But Ino could not, for the love of god, remember if Sakura ever mentioned they were with other people.

"Forehead!" Ino was finally in front of her door, she knocked on it. "Open the door. Listen, I know it's bad, but we can fix it."

Silence.

"For the love of God, Sakura." Ino let out an exasperated sigh. She pushed her hand into her bag and fished out a set of keys. "I have your door key. You better open it or I'm coming in!"

Incoherent mumbling. Ino rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to have any of this. If Sakura thought it was over, it was far from that.

Ino pushed the key in and busted the door open. Sakura was still in bed, in her pajamas, curled up. She rolled her eyes. "Can you please stop being a baby? It's not that bad."

Sakura covered her head with her blanket. "My mom practically tied me down and made me confess!"

"Although I know your mother would, I bet she didn't."

Sakura moaned and made crying sounds under the sheets and Ino had no choice but to sit next to her. "You can always tell her it was a surprise. Naruto came and brought a friend. I've been really open about dating him, anyway."

Sakura peeked out from under the blanket. "I hate this. Why do I even need to hide it from them?"

"That you're dating an MMA fighter and not some big shot businessman or doctor? I wonder, Forehead. Such a mystery."

This made Sakura giggle. "It's not funny!"

Ino grinned. "It so is. You're still such a baby to them, and you hiding under your blanket like this, is proving they're right."

Sakura glared at her.

"See that?" Ino stood up and placed a hand on her hip. "Baby behavior. Right there."

Sakura rolled her eyes and pushed herself up. "Then what now? I can't just bring him over for dinner like how he did with me last night, you know?"

Ino's whole demeanor changed. "He brought you to dinner with his parents?" She covered her mouth with her hand and gasped some more. "And you didn't tell me? I'm betrayed! And here I'm trying to cover for your ass!"

Sakura laughed. "It just happened! Last minute and all, his brother is so kind—"

"His brother was there, too?" She screeched. "What else are you not telling me? Has he proposed? Are you eloping? You know you can't. We have to plan that wedding. The best there is."

Sakura threw her head back and laughed. It was so like Ino to swing from one mood to another, she moved as fast as the trends do, even stayed three steps ahead. She smiled at her. "You really think we can fix it? Do you think they'll like him?"

"Sakura, calm down," Ino rolled her eyes and sat down on the bed with her. She held on to both of her hands and Sakura was thankful for the warmth and comfort Ino was giving her. "They're your parents. They're scary and protective but they love you. If they see how much you love him, I'm sure they'll come around."

Sakura smiled, finally feeling some hope swell in her heart.

"Besides," Ino grinned slyly, "do you have any idea how much Sasuke makes per fight? You'll have it made."

"I don't want his money!" Sakura was appalled she would think that.

"I know you don't." Ino smirked. "You haven't done anything and you're probably worth as much as he is already. All I'm saying is," Ino helped her up to her feet. "Your parents want someone who can take care of you, right? If we show them Sasuke can, then I'm sure they'll be fine."

"You mean I can… invite him over now?"

Ino snorted. "Hell no. You're supposed to be the smart one. What's wrong with you?"

Sakura hung her head. "Then now whaaat?" She whined.

"You," Ino held on to her wrist and dragged her downstairs. "Will have breakfast with me, and we will think of a way for your parents to meet him some other way, and then you can ease them into telling them you're dating. Sound good?"

Sakura opened her mouth to say something but closed it. It sounded too easy, so simple. And yet… "Pig, that sounds like it might actually work."

Ino smirked. "Oh, I know it will. Now, all we need to do is think of where and how."

Sakura opened up the container and it revealed fluffy pancakes covered in golden syrup. The gold color reflected in her green eyes and she thought of the perfect event.

"Do you think Sasuke's the type to go to the country club?" Sakura asked.

"No," Ino forked bacon into her mouth. And then she finally understood. "Oh my god! Gold Glove night!"

Sakura grinned. "My dad would love to meet him there."

…

"You look so cute, sweetheart!" Hizashi spun Sakura around, admiring the red dress she had on. It was rare for her to dress up so well for one of his country club events. She usually went just to humor him, but she actually looked excited.

"Thank you." Sakura grinned at him and picked up her purse.

"You're in high spirits," Mebuki quipped. "Excited to see your friends?"

"Yeah!" Sakura grinned. "Ino will be there, and you know, I think Shikamaru and the others will be, too."

"Shikamaru?" Hizashi grinned slyly. "Now that's a good lad for ya, darling. Why don't you date him?"

Sakura froze and held her hands up. "Dad, please. He's already dating Temari."

Her father helped the two of them into the car. A frown on his face. "Huh, that Sand princess, right?"

Sakura purses her lips. "She's really nice, dad. Don't be like that."

He shrugged. "I'm just saying. He's missing out on the best girl ever." He winked at Sakura and all she could do was roll her eyes but smile at her dad.

He doted on her a lot, and she found it really sweet. But he could be a lot more… subtle about things. The last time they went to a social event together, he was broadcasting she was single, but deflected all the guys who dared come close to her. It was embarrassing to say the least.

As they drove closer to the country club, Sakura could feel her heart beating faster. She kept checking her phone, seeing if any of her friends were already there. Her heart was set at ease when she read one text in particular.

' _I can't wait to see you.'_

She smiled and held on to her phone a little tighter. Sakura was excited to see him, but still anxious what her parents would say. She really hoped that they would like him, and be as nice to him as his family was to her.

They finally reached the entrance and they handed the car over to valet. The three of them walked in and entered the garden, reserved for the Golden Glove. It was a party exclusive to the members who frequently golfed. Ino was a lot more into it than Sakura was, but she liked taking a swing once in a while. Plus, the outfits were really cute. It didn't take long for her parents to find someone they knew.

Sakura on the other hand… had some difficulty. She craned her neck, looking around for any familiar face. Even opening her ears a little more to any loud voices. She was sure to hear Naruto and Ino before even seeing their blond heads anywhere. Her shoulders spiked up when she felt a warm hand wrap around her wrist. Her breath escaped her lips when her green eyes met his black ones.

"Sasuke-kun."

"Darling, there you are!" Mebuki stopped as soon as she saw Sasuke's hand on her wrist, and her whole aura changed, lips pressing into a fine line.

"Sasuke-kun! Sakura!" Ino joined the picture, and Sakura could breathe again. Naruto was right behind her, all smiles and holding on to a champagne glass.

"Mebuki," Ino grinned at her. "These are my guests, Sasuke-kun, and you know Naruto, from the photos?"

A smile finally graced her face, and she nodded at the two boys. "Pleasure."

"Heya, Sakura-chan," Naruto waved at her, and also greeted Mebuki.

"You know each other?" She turned to face Sakura, a questioning look on her face.

"Of course I do!" Naruto laughed. "Ino won't stop talking about her. Sakura-chan was the first friend of hers I met."

Sakura grinned. "Whenever I say I'm having ramen, I'm usually with them."

"Ah," Mebuki. "Then I'm assuming you and Sasuke know each other as well?"

Sakura bit her tongue, not knowing how to respond to that, at all. Turning to face Sasuke, hoping he might say something, but it looks like he also picked up the nervous tension that hung in the air… and this was just her mother. It was a good thing her father wasn't here.

"Sasuke and I are friends," Naruto replied for them. "I dragged him with me one time after our training to meet Ino, and Sakura-chan was there."

Ino hooked her arm with Sakura's. "We're inseparable. If I'm not with Naruto, I'm with this one, you know." She grinned at Mebuki.

She ignored that comment. "Training? For what?"

"I'm also an MMA fighter." Sasuke explained and extended his hand to Mebuki. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Haruno."

She took his hand and shook it, eyeing his firm grip on hers. Sakura never shook Sasuke's hand, but she knew her mother had a decent handshake. One that she was proud of.

"Pleasure to meet you, Sasuke." She smiled at him, and Sakura was too nervous to tell if her mother was being sincere or not.

"Darling!" Upon hearing that voice, Sakura wished the ground would swallow her whole. "There you two are, I'm here talking to the Hyugas, and I have no backup!" He was about to say more but noticed the two boys towering over the group.

"Hello, gentlemen. Haven't seen you two here. Do you play?"

Ino swooped in. "These are my guests, Naruto and Sasuke," she grinned sweetly. "And no, they don't."

"Play what?" Naruto asked.

Sakura face palmed. He was here, and didn't even know what the event was for. _Typical._

Hizashi blinked, but humored him. "Golf, son. Do you play? Ever gave it a swing? Sakura here has quite the arm, if I do say so myself."

"Dad." Sakura widened her eyes at him, warning him to stop. She knew she could swing good, but she was rusty, and hadn't picked up a club in months.

"Oh come on, sweetheart," He pulled her in for a quick side embrace and planted a kiss on her hair. "You think those lads over there ever picked up a club? I don't think so. And besides," He looked at Naruto and Sasuke from head to foot and back up again. "They look like they work out. Do you work out?"

"Hell yeah," Naruto grinned slyly. "What do we gotta do?"

"See!" Hizashi placed a firm hand on Naruto's shoulder. "I like your enthusiasm, son. What's your name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki!"

"And you, son?" He looked at Sasuke.

He smirked. "Sasuke Uchiha."

"Sounds familiar," Hizashi said before shrugging. "Anyway, ever played golf?"

"No." Sasuke replied honestly.

"Think you can give it a go?"

"Oh, we're gonna kill it." Naruto bragged.

Sakura stared at Ino, begging her to do something to stop this. Ino only shrugged. "If I were you, I'd put my money on Neji instead." She pulled out her wallet and a wad of cash. "Don't forget, Forehead, tonight is about charity. Pick your best player."

Sakura puffed her cheeks and looked back at her father, whisking the two boys away. She and Sasuke made eye contact and Sakura balled her fists. "All my money is on Sasuke-kun."

...

Sasuke removed his coat and handed it to Sakura. For a moment, he wanted to lean in and kiss her, and if she asked what that was for, he would have teased it was for good luck. But not now, not in front of everyone like this. Especially not when her parents were here. Naruto was already lined up with all the other challengers. Some of them already recognized Naruto and started to cheer, but that wasn't what irked him. It was the fact that Hizashi had been teaching Naruto how to swing for a few minutes now, and he hasn't heard a single thing.

He had never played golf, only watched it a few times, and heard Kakashi mention something about swinging with the hips, but he wasn't sure this was credible because he was reading it out of one of those porn books he loved to read. Sasuke gritted his teeth, hearing the crowd cheer for Naruto and this boy named Neji. Looking at his form, he was the one to beat.

Sasuke observed the way he held the club and swung, keeping a close eye on his form and the way his body twisted. This wasn't going to be so hard. If he could knock a grown man down on the octagon, hitting a ball with a club was going to be a piece of cake.

Sasuke rolled his sleeves up as he approached the line, accepting a club from a caddy and waited for him to set the ball down on the tee. Hizashi came to him and smiled, his hands on his hips. "You look like you got good form, son. Never got to catch what you do for a living."

Sasuke hunched over the ball, aligning it with the club. "I'm an MMA fighter."

"Ah, like Naruto over here. Well, I bet you've got a good hook, but let's see you _swing_."

It should have sounded friendly, maybe a little challenge hinted, but Sasuke knew there was more to it. He gritted his teeth. Sakura's parents were challenging him, and he never backed down from one, or lost. "I intend to," he whispered before swinging back and pulling all the way through.

He twisted his body, and his eyes landed on the hole. He waited, and watched his ball land a few feet away, rolling slowly. He held his breath and bit his lower lip as it continued to roll closer into the hole. The ball teetered at the edge and then fell in.

The crowd cheered, and a wide grin spread on his face. His first swing, and it went right in. He turned around and found Sakura in the crowd, cheering for him, all smiles and shaking Ino. Sakura was surely going to make some money tonight.

Swing after swing, Sasuke's golf balls always found its way into the hole. After a while, he started to rethink if golf was a sport he would want to venture into in his free time. It felt fulfilling to see the ball fly and land in its target. Sakura even got in line with him, and did a few swings herself. He loved that she looked so confident, especially after Ino challenged her when she was in the line herself. All of her balls went in, too. Her father was ecstatic, bragging about it to his friends that his little girl was probably better than them.

They all enjoyed the night, even if Naruto barely managed to get any of his in the hole. When he finally got one in, he was so happy and everyone cheered him on. His smile made him look like the winner of the night.

After the swings, they all had dinner in the function hall. Although Mebuki and Hizashi didn't join them, Sasuke enjoyed spending time with Sakura. The food was good, and he wasn't going to lie, he thought country clubs were overrated but after being in one, he started to see what the fuss was all about. More importantly, it let him see a little more of Sakura's world. To say that she wasn't like other girls was far from the truth. She lived in a life of ease and luxury, but she was still so down to earth, hardworking and kind. Definitely not like the other girls he's met.

"Are you having fun, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura held his hand under the table, a soft smile on her face.

"Of course I am." He smiled and rubbed his thumb across her knuckles. "I'm really happy you invited me."

She held her other finger up. "It was _Ino_ who invited you."

Sasuke chuckled and shook his head. "Right, forgive me. My mistake."

Sakura giggled and squeezed his hand before letting go. "What did you think of my parents? See where I get my scary side from?" she teased.

"Hn. They're definitely a bit intimidating and that's saying something coming from me. But I still think you're scarier." He said. He wanted to lean in, he wanted to pull her into his arms. He wanted to kiss her. Instead, he didn't move an inch.

"Me? _Scary?"_ she faked a gasp. "Don't tell me you're afraid of me, Sasuke-kun." She picked up her glass, taking a sip

"Only afraid of losing you."

Sakura choked mid sip, and turned as red as a tomato. Was this karma getting her from the other night? She struggled to clear her throat, and Sasuke's hand came up to stroke her back to help her ease back into it.

"You okay?"

She glared at him, still flustered. He _so_ did that on purpose.

"I'll take that as a yes." He smirked.

Sakura stuck her tongue out at him and looked away.

Ino, watching the exchange, rolled her eyes. "Still a baby."

Sasuke half rolled his eyes and forced himself not to snap at the bitch for being rude to his girl. "You know my next fight is coming up soon. You'll come, right?"

Sakura's excitement bubbled. "Another one? When?"

"In just a few weeks." He answered with a smile. "I'll get you a great seat."

Her smile widened. "After what you did for me today, I don't think I can say no. But even if, I would love to go."

"Then I'll see you there?"

"Definitely. Wouldn't miss it for anything."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Thanks for reading! Hope you guys enjoyed, please drop us a review to let us know what you think!**


	14. Distance

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Fourteen-**

Distance

* * *

It seemed like it had been so long. Sasuke had been waiting for this fight for what seemed like ages, even though with all the time he'd been spending with Sakura, the days had been flying by. Now Sasuke was finally getting in his car to make the three-hour trip to his destination. His career meant traveling often and it couldn't be helped. It never bothered him, not until now that he had a certain pinkette always on his mind.

But he was thankful she was coming to see his fight, even when it meant she would have to make the long trip as well.

Of course, he'd offered to let her ride with him, but she explained that she couldn't leave as early as him. Sasuke had to be there a day before his fight for the weigh-in and a pre-fight interview. He understood and didn't mind. He was just happy she was coming. For some reason, knowing Sakura would be there watching him gave him all the more motivation to come out of the fight on top.

The drive was long, but he stayed pretty busy, what with his manager calling and talking his ears off for over half an hour, and then the dobe calling just to be an annoying pain in Sasuke's ass. His brother called as well, telling Sasuke that he got some time off work and would be driving down to watch his fight too.

It wasn't often that his brother made it to one of his fights, so Sasuke couldn't help but be pleased to know he'd be there. Having Itachi and Sakura both supporting him in person made him feel near invincible. There was no way in hell he was stepping out of that octagon without a quick win.

Sasuke's first destination was the hotel he'd be staying in until he'd make the return trip home. He checked in, carrying his bag with all his clothes and gear inside with him. Kakashi wouldn't be far behind him and they'd have to leave for the weigh-in within the next hour, though the arena was only minutes away from his hotel.

The instant Sasuke was inside his hotel room, he plopped down on the bed and groaned. He was hungry as fuck, having not had anything to eat but a single protein bar all day. He could suffer through it for a bit though. Once he made his weight, he could eat until his stomach was content with no restrictions. Tonight, he would feast. His manager would make sure of it, even if he himself didn't.

After willing himself to ignore his rumbling stomach, Sasuke started digging through his bag to find his sponsored shirt, shorts, and pants he'd have to wear to the weigh-in. He went ahead and got dressed and zipped his bag back up, leaving it by the bed. The only thing he had to take with him tonight was himself.

Within minutes, Kakashi arrived. "Ready to get going?" He asked, wasting no time.

"Damn right." Sasuke got to his feet, eager to get this event over with so he could eat and sleep. The next day would come and his fight would be here, and his girl as well.

Weigh-ins were already going on when Sasuke and Kakashi arrived. Naruto was around somewhere as well, but Sasuke had yet to see him. His coaches met them there and helped to shield Sasuke from an array of fans on the way inside. He was set to have his interview before his weigh-in, but all he could think about was being face to face with the man he was soon going to beat.

They were taken to the interview room and shown inside. Sasuke took a seat across from the interviewer who just had to be a woman. Though she was making eyes at him the entire time, she seemed rather professional, at least in the way she spoke and questioned him.

"Your opponent is rather fired up and has just finished his interview. He claims that you put on a good show, but only because you've never fought anyone like him. You seem rather calm, but that's not out of the ordinary for you. Still, are you a little more apprehensive about this fight being that if you won it would put you one fight closer to fighting for the belt?"

"I don't have to say anything. I'll prove myself once I step into that octagon tomorrow night." Sasuke answered clearly, appearing as stoic as he always was during his interviews.

"Are you aiming for a quick and easy win like all your previous fights?"

"They don't call me The Prodigy for no reason. It won't even take me a minute, probably not even half a minute."

"So you _do_ think you will win?" She asked, smirking.

"I don't think. _I know_."

It was over half an hour later before his weigh-in time arrived. There were cameras everywhere, reporters, photographers, media people. Sasuke found it easy to ignore all the commotion around him, while still maintaining his cool façade as he stepped up to the scale. He stripped his shirt and pants, stepping onto the scale in nothing but his training shorts. He weighed in at a perfect one hundred and sixty pounds.

His opponent had already weighed in, at the same weight exactly. They were nearly equal in all aspects, their height and reach virtually identical, but the other guy was five years his elder. The cameras were all over Sasuke and his opponent as they stood face to face, raising their fists and staring each other down as the announcements were made.

Sasuke took pride in the fact that his opponent was so wired up, only smirking in response to his noticeable anger before walking off. His coaches handed him his discarded clothes as they took their leave and Sasuke pulled his shirt on as he walked, only stopping to get into his pants when he was away from the cameras.

As they walked out of the arena, fans screamed his name, but nobody could get close to him with Kakashi leading the way and his three coaches surrounding him like bodyguards. Once Kakashi and Sasuke were in the car, the coaches went on their ways to get in their own ride. They'd be following Sasuke and Kakashi. The entire group would go out to eat and talk about the upcoming fight.

The restaurant Kakashi chose was high end, rather expensive, but mainly with a wide variety of food. Sasuke was always awarded a nice meal after making weight. Eating a healthy amount of food the night before his fight would give him more strength for his fight as well.

He wouldn't deny that Sakura's yoga sessions had helped him a great deal. He hadn't known how much he was lacking until starting those daily sessions, but with each passing day, he'd gotten a little better. He was more flexible now and he'd put his limberness to good use. If he'd been good at switching positions and getting out of them before, well he was a fucking ace at it now.

There was a lot he had to be thankful to Sakura for. He would call her before bed, just to thank her again for all her help. For her always being there for him. But for now, it was time to feast.

"Party's here!" Naruto came bouncing up, his manager and coaches right behind him. "Ready to whoop some ass tomorrow, Teme?"

"You already know, Dobe," Sasuke muttered, not bothering to look at Naruto as he continued to scan through the menu.

While Naruto and his crew joined them at their table, the waiter arrived with Sasuke's crew's drinks. Sasuke gulped down half his glass of water the instant it was within reach before reading off several appetizers to the waiter. He wanted those to hurry and get to him while everyone else took their time looking over the menu, as he had already done.

"I hope you were ordering for me too Teme, I'm starving!"

"Order your own, loser." Sasuke rolled his eyes before digging his phone out of his pocket and checking it for any calls or texts from Sakura. When he found nothing, he checked out Instagram as well. She hadn't been active.

Not wanting to seem annoying, he didn't let himself reach out to her. He would see her tomorrow anyway. There was no sense in bothering her for the night.

Once his appetizers arrived, Sasuke ordered his entrée while everyone else ordered their own food. Famished, Sasuke dug right into the food but was feeling generous enough to share with Naruto. After all, he knew better than anyone how good it felt to eat the night before a fight. Even if he was the only one who'd been on such a strict diet lately.

With his muscle mass constantly growing, Sasuke was easy to gain weight. Losing weight was a struggle. He really had to fight for it, especially when he was constantly training and getting stronger. He'd sweated so much, drank so much water, and went without so many of his favorite foods just to meet his weight. He would honestly be glad once the fight was over, just so he could have a couple of weeks of freedom.

He and Naruto both ate until they could eat no more. Sasuke even managed dessert. He wanted a strong drink after all the pent up stress he was feeling, but he could have never convinced his manager to let him have one, so he didn't bother asking. It wouldn't bode well for him to partake in the drinking of alcoholic beverages the night before his fight anyway.

That night once he was in bed, he checked his phone again. Still no word from Sakura. Though this disappointed him, he put his phone on the bedside table and didn't think much about it. His belly was full, he needed a good night's sleep and once he closed his eyes, it was all too easy to surrender to his exhaustion.

The next morning Sasuke ordered room service and had a healthy breakfast. For lunch, he ate something light. Then he had his shower and got dressed. He had to arrive at the arena an hour before his fight, but he had never felt lighter on his feet. He was elated. The time had finally arrived. Strangely enough, though, he was just as excited to see his girl as he was to finally have his fight.

Sasuke sat in the back room with his team, watching the fights scheduled before his. Naruto was before him as well. Sasuke watched his friend's fight with interest, having the utmost faith in the Dobe's abilities. Even if his techniques weren't the cleanest or the wisest.

Naruto got popped a couple of times, but the fight itself was a bloody mess, and not on Naruto's part. He was on his opponent like his life depended on it, wailing on his face until the ref stepped in and called it as a technical knockout. Naruto was all grins, gloved fists raised high in the air and the crowd roared around him.

There was only one more fight before Sasuke's, which would be followed by the main event. Sasuke got up, stretching his body while he waited for the next fight to wrap up. Unfortunately, it went the whole three rounds before going to a decision.

It was now time for Sasuke and his team to wait at the entrance that led from the back into the stadium. He was all eyes on that octagon, waiting for his music to play, eager to make his way inside. He walked in, cool as he always was, the roar of the crowd almost as loud as his music. Once he stepped beside the octagon, the official checked him all over while another came over and started greasing his face in the necessary areas. Once he was released, Kakashi handed him his mouthpiece and Sasuke put it in place before jogging up the steps and into the open octagon.

He bounced around the octagon while waiting for his opponent, unable to help himself keep from glancing over the front row where Sakura's seat was, but he was taken aback to find it empty. His movements slowed at the realization that she wasn't there—and his fight was starting in just a moment. He didn't understand, but he was so bothered by her absence, that he paid no attention to the fact that his brother was there, already cheering him on.

 _Just where the hell was she?_

He didn't have much time to think about it. His opponent entered the octagon then, the doors were closed, the announcements made and it was time to fight. He squared up with his opponent while the ref leaned in close to them to speak.

"Alright, guys I want a clean fight. Touch gloves and let's get down to it."

Feeling an anger course through him unlike any he'd felt before, and his opponent already fuming and having all intentions to beat Sasuke and prove he was the better fighter, the touch of their gloves was far more forceful than necessary. They backed away from each other and Sasuke quickly glanced back out into the crowd. Sakura still wasn't there… and he was _pissed_.

The fight started and Sasuke's opponent charged at him, which was his first mistake. He swung at Sasuke, but Sasuke easily grabbed his arm and yanked it down, releasing his arm in the same instant to get him in a clinch and knee him right in the face.

The bastard's nose started pouring blood immediately, but Sasuke didn't give him the chance to recover from the knee before he caught him with an uppercut that sent him flying to his back. Sasuke mounted him instantaneously, his fists raining down harshly, though only three times before the ref tackled him, pulling him off of his unresponsive opponent.

"It is all over! Sasuke, The Prodigy, Uchiha finishes the match in under ten seconds! This is a new record for The prodigy!"

The announcer was going off, but Sasuke was hearing none of it. While the ref held his arm up after his victory, his eyes were on Sakura's empty seat, and he was becoming more and more angry by the second. He wanted to call her that instant, but how could he, when the announcer was now in his face.

"What an outstanding win tonight. You said you'd come in for a quick finish just as you always do, but how are you feeling after this victory?"

"My win was inevitable," Sasuke spoke into the microphone shoved towards his face. "I will keep rising to the top and aiming for a title fight."

"Well, it's certainly not out of your reach, good work tonight!"

The announcer left it at that, easily picking up on the fact that Sasuke was in no mood to do much talking. There was no way in hell he was doing any other interviews for the night. He needed to get the hell away from this place because he was livid. He wanted to know where Sakura was.

"You meant business, didn't you?" Kakashi chuckled as he ushered Sasuke out of the octagon and on their way out of the stadium.

"I am not in a good mood. I've had enough for the night already. I want to get back to the hotel."

"Dinner first right?" Kakashi asked curiously. He always took Sasuke out for a nice dinner after his wins.

"I don't feel like going out," Sasuke muttered, wanting to get cleaned up and changed and to his phone.

Once he was in Kakashi's car, he pulled out his cell and found that he did have a single text from Sakura.

 _"I'm so sorry. I'll explain when we're both back in town."_

What the hell was that supposed to mean? Sasuke certainly had no idea, but he was so upset that he couldn't bring himself to respond. He got on Instagram and found her having posted a picture of her and her parents. While he could see the smile she wore was fake, he was too angry to care. She'd promised him she'd be there, but instead, she stayed with her parents. Hell, she was always with them. He didn't ask for much, but she promised to always support him when he was fighting. Swore she'd be there rooting him on, and she'd just ditched him.

He'd never felt so disappointed.

As soon as they were back at the hotel he had a shower and went straight to bed. He wasn't even in the mood to eat. Though he was so frustrated it took him a good while to fall asleep, once he did he slept hard. He was tired. He was angry. So angry, that he didn't know how he would face Sakura after she didn't bother showing up to his fight. She didn't even call to let him know she wasn't coming.

He was awakened the next morning by Kakashi. "I have news!" His manager exclaimed.

"What the hell. Leave me alone!" Sasuke covered his head with the pillow, wanting to go back to sleep.

"But this is big news, you'll be happy to hear it."

"I don't want to hear shit right now. Leave me the hell alone." Sasuke snapped, refusing to get up and listen.

"Sasuke! You're usually up hours before now, we are checking out of the hotel in an hour and we need to talk." Kakashi argued.

"I'm not leaving today. Book me another night."

"What? You have training."

"Not today I don't. Now go."

"Fine, I'll just save this huge news for when you get home. I'll book you another night's stay but you better get your shit together and straighten your attitude up. This isn't like you."

Kakashi finally left and Sasuke groaned into the bedsheets. Though he was easily annoyed, it wasn't often that Sasuke found himself so angry. But, now he was. Angry and disappointed. He didn't understand why it bothered him so much that Sakura hadn't come to his fight. Sure she promised she'd be there and he was looking forward to it, but why did he even need her there?

If she didn't really want to come, that was her choice. She didn't show up and he just needed to get over it. Unfortunately for him, it just didn't seem that easy. He thought the two of them had gotten so close. They spent time together every day. She showed up to his place every morning like clockwork and then there were those days they'd have dinner together as well. She'd even met his mother, and his mother was crazy about the girl.

They weren't official or anything, but he had considered her his for quite some time now… but after this, he was realizing how wrong he was. Maybe the deep moments they'd had… those kisses they'd shared… didn't mean as much to her as he thought.

Dragging himself out of bed, Sasuke had a shower. He didn't bother dressing in anything more than his briefs before crawling right back into bed. It made it even worse that she hadn't reached out to him again. There was only that single text from the night before. He was so mad that he found he didn't even want to hear her explanation. She didn't come. That's all there was to it.

Just as he was drifting back off to sleep his phone went off. It was his brother calling, but Sasuke didn't answer. He didn't feel like talking to anyone. Itachi left a voicemail, but Sasuke would check it later. For now, he was wallowing in his misery and nothing more. Come the next morning, he would make his way back home and get back to training. Nothing else mattered. He had to look towards his future like he used to, not like he had since Sakura had come into his life.

She made him want different things, made him want to share his life with her. But, what he needed to be doing was focusing on his training, on getting stronger, becoming the best—beating the best and nothing more. Things would never work out for them… how could they, when she couldn't even introduce him properly to her parents. He'd wanted to make things official between them for a while now, but Sakura didn't seem to want anything more than what they already had.

Sasuke spent the entire day in bed, getting up long enough to order dinner and eat once before he slept for the night. There was still no word from Sakura, and he was sure as hell not reaching out to her. He'd received a variety of calls and texts from his brother, Naruto, and several notifications from his sponsors referring to his fight the night before. He would check into everything come morning.

When Sasuke made it back to his hometown, he went by his home and went inside to go through his bag. He took out his dirty laundry, left it in the laundry room and then grabbed his gear before leaving his home. He needed to get to the gym. He needed to drown himself in a serious workout and forget about Sakura. It was easy enough for her to forget about him, it seemed, so he needed to do the same.

Finding nobody else at the gym, Sasuke found himself relieved. He went in, took his shirt off and started stretching. His strength exercises would come next, something he'd been skipping out on since starting the yoga with Sakura, which was similar in a way. He had a drink of water before getting in position. He got on the ground in the push-up position, holding his weight on his bent arms. He remained in place for several moments before he started moving slowly, bringing his legs up one at a time while twisting his body and maintaining his posture.

He was still in the same position, sweat dripping off his face and down his body when his manager burst through the gym doors.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi came jogging over to him. "Glad to see you're back to work and I do hope you left that attitude back in the city."

"You have news, so tell me." Sasuke spat, his body screaming at him to get out of this position. He would continue to hold it before having a much-needed stretch.

"Still salty, I see. Though I don't know why. You just had a great win, you just took a huge leap in the direction you're aiming for, so I don't understand why you're so down."

"Unless you have somebody for me to fight, I don't want to talk." Sasuke breathed, closing his eyes as his body started to numb itself, blocking out the aches and pain he was feeling.

"Actually... I've done some talking with the division heads and they agreed that you would be a perfect candidate to alternate between weight classes, meaning you'll have more opportunities to fight."

Sasuke dropped out of his position and sat on his backside, looking up to his manager with wide eyes. "Are you serious?"

"As a heart attack. I've been thinking about this for a while. Since you started out in lightweight, I didn't want to move you… but it's been such a struggle for you to keep weight. You can do it, but you gain weight with ease… so moving up to welterweight would be good for you, in fact, you might fight even better with the extra weight on you. However, your opponents will be bigger, some stronger. Of course, if you don't want to do it..."

"Don't be ridiculous, you know I want to!" Sasuke demanded. "This could be huge for me."

"Well if you agree, then I already have your next fight lined up in the welterweight division. This guy has had his eye on you since you started out, but he wants to fight you because he likes you and your style of fighting. There's a respect factor here, so it will be even better for your publicity… and speaking of which, my phone hasn't stopped ringing since your fight. Tomorrow you have another interview and photoshoot, you'll get another cover and a huge article on your journey so far. You're getting big now Sasuke, this is what you wanted… that means more traveling, more meetings and more fighting, which also means more training. Are you prepared?"

"Hell yeah. I live for this. You know that."

Kakashi smirked and ruffled Sasuke's hair. "I do know, and I just might be even more thrilled than you are. Tonight, we celebrate. I'll pick you up at your place around seven."

"Alright." Sasuke nodded, every ounce of anger leaving him and being replaced with excitement. This could be his big break, and he couldn't have been happier.

He trained harder at learning this news all day, only making it home with just enough time to change into some presentable clothes before Kakashi arrived to pick him up. He'd had his shower at the gym and he was excited to be going out to celebrate. Kakashi had made a reservation at one of the nicest restaurants in town.

"Tonight, I want you to enjoy yourself, have some drinks, order whatever you want. Come tomorrow, it's down to business."

Sasuke couldn't contain his grin. He hadn't been _allowed_ to drink in a long while and he felt it was something he needed. With all this going on, he was quickly forgetting about his dilemma with Sakura. He didn't have time to worry about such things when he had all these new important things to worry about.

So he ate his fill and had a few drinks. Some fans ended up spotting him and coming over to swoon. They were all females. Sasuke wasn't good with fans, he wanted nothing more than to ignore them and enjoy his buzz.

"Sasuke…" Kakashi chided him for ignoring the girls who were begging for pictures and autographs.

Sasuke could hear his thoughts at that moment. ' _It's for publicity. Your fanbase is important.'_ He rolled his eyes at Kakashi's voice filling his mind, but got up from his seat, leaving his drink to stand with the girls and let them take their pictures. He signed his name for each of them, some on their purses, some in notebooks, but when one asked him to sign her cleavage, he drew the line.

"Sasuke…" Kakashi grumbled.

 _The fanbase… the fanbase…_

Sasuke sighed as he glared down at the girl's plump cleavage and quickly signed his name. How the girl wasn't completely humiliated to even ask for such a thing, he didn't know, because Sasuke himself was definitely humiliated. He supposed most guys would be happy with so much attention, but he wasn't. In fact, the second they walked away all he could think about was Sakura.

Soon as he took his seat again, Kakashi spoke. "You're in the public's eye Sasuke, these things will start happening more and more often. You have to keep your fanbase happy."

"Whatever. I'm not signing anyone else's boobs. I don't give a damn."

Kakashi sighed and had a sip of his own drink before responding. "I don't see what the problem is."

"They got their pictures, I didn't mind signing their shit, but their shit does not include anything on their bodies."

"Hell Sasuke, signing boobs is a privilege. Most public figures wouldn't even get asked to sign a boob, no matter how popular they are."

"I don't care. It's wrong. I'm not arguing about it. End of discussion."

"Fine, fine… just don't disappoint your fanbase."

Sasuke ordered another drink before finishing the one he already had. He knew his manager was right, his fanbase was important, he needed to gain more fans, more attention, not run them away. He would try to be more tolerable with these things, he knew he had to be… but sometimes that was hard for Sasuke.

In spite of the fans, he was having a great night. He felt good, light, free. There was so much for him to look forward to. But then he spotted pink and his heart fell into his stomach. There, just a few tables away was Sakura, having dinner with Ino and her eyes were scalding him. He looked away as quickly as he'd spotted her and drained his glass.

"I'm ready to get out of here." He said then, and Kakashi nodded.

"Very well." Kakashi signaled the waiter and asked for the check.

"I'll wait in the car," Sasuke told him as he got to his feet only to have another hoard of girls hurrying towards him. One beat the others to him.

"Oh my gosh, it's you, The Prodigy! Sasuke Uchiha!" She was all big eyes, hands clasped to her chest as she beamed at him.

"That's right." Sasuke sighed. "Sorry, but I was just on my way out."

"Oh, but could I please have a picture with you!"

Feeling his manager eyeing him down, Sasuke decided to agree. "Alright."

The girl squealed as she pulled out her phone and snapped a quick picture of them while she was leaning too close for comfort. The other girls we taking dozens of pictures of him as well, but he excused himself once the girl got her picture and waded his way through the crowd of girls. He'd definitely had enough for one night, and he couldn't bring himself to look back at Sakura, though he felt her eyes on him. It was quite unsettling.

Sasuke made it outside and to Kakashi's car. He leaned against the side of it and crossed his arms over his chest with a sigh.

"Girls, is that who I think it is?"

Oh hell…

Sasuke kept his face downcast, eyes on the ground, hoping not to draw any attention to himself, but it was already too late. A second later he was surrounded, with no way to escape.

"Sasuke! Oh my God! I'm your biggest fan. I've gone to every fight you've ever had, you're so amazing!"

Hn. Every fight he ever had… He frowned at the girl's admission. This girl didn't even know him, and yet she could follow him so earnestly… but Sakura couldn't come to a fight she'd promised to attend.

"That's nothing, I've been following you since your pride fighting days!" Another girl exclaimed.

"It's my birthday, Sasuke! Can I please have a hug?"

So annoying… The girl latched onto him before he could refuse her and at the same instant, he saw Sakura and Ino walk outside. Sakura halted midstep, looking over at the scene. More pictures were being snapped of him, but Sasuke could only just stand there, his obsidian eyes locked on Sakura until Kakashi walked out behind them, coming straight towards Sasuke and dismissing the fans.

"Alright, alright ladies, I have to apologize but The Prodigy and I must be on our way now."

The group of girls responded in disappointment but stepped back enough for Kakashi to usher Sasuke to the other side of the car so he could get in. Sasuke sighed, refusing to look back in Sakura's direction. This thing between them… it was over before it even had a chance to begin, and Sasuke really hated it. He'd never wanted a girl as he wanted her, but if he couldn't have her… what could he do?

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **This chapter was difficult to write for me. I feel so bad for Sasuke. What do you guys think? Were you surprised that Sakura didn't show up to his fight? What do you think she was up to? What are you expecting to happen next? We can't wait to see your thoughts.**

 **To those of you so upset and curious about Sakura's situation with her parents, you'll just have to keep reading to see what happens! XD**


	15. Guilt

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Thirteen-**

 _Guilt_

* * *

Outside the restaurant's vicinity, she spotted a small crowd and a commotion going on. Ino linked arms with Sakura and craned her neck to see, "Is that…"

Sakura's eyes hardened and her lips pressed to a fine line. It was Sasuke. She wasn't so sure back in the restaurant but seeing Kakashi with him confirmed it. He was here. Having a nice time with his fans and signing… boobs. Her brow twitched at the thought. Why would he be going around signing body parts? That thing washes off! No sentimental value there! She puffed her cheeks and tugged Ino towards her car, without saying another word.

Her best friend staggered for a few steps. "Ouch! Forehead, what gives?"

"Let's go, Pig!" she growled.

Ino pursed her lips. "Still not talking to Sasuke, huh?"

Sakura huffed and walked over to the passenger side. "Just open the car and get us out of here, okay?"

Ino smirked and clicked on her car keys. Sakura hastily got in the yellow sports car and shut the door behind her. She strapped her seatbelt on and pulled out her phone. Ino got in the car and started the engine. She lifted her brow, "he still didn't text?"

Sakura faced her. "No! Why would you even ask that? I'm not even waiting on his text!"

The blond raised her brow. "Because his chat box is open on your phone…"

The pinkette gasped and looked at her screen. True enough, it was open on Sasuke's name, and all the texts were still from her. Nothing new. She felt her cheeks flush. Why did she open his chatbox in the first place? She shoved her phone in her purse and threw it to the back seat. "Can we get a cake or something? I want it."

Ino snickered and drove out of the parking lot, observing Sasuke's car via the back mirror and the hoard of girls who followed. "Yeah, I think I'll need it, too…"

.

.

.

Sakura crashed on her bed face first and groaned. No amount of cake, no matter how sweet and rich was going to fix this… but it did help… for a bit. Ino always knew the good places and she was thankful her best friend always indulged her whenever she needed a sugar fix. She pulled her phone out and looked at the screen. No texts.

This time, instead of feeling angry, a wave of sadness and guilt washed over her.

He was angry she missed his fight. She got that. It was understandable. But like… did he have to ignore her? It's been a little over a month. Even Naruto had been more visible to her, and she's been more up to date with Itachi's life via his Instagram stories than Sasuke. The last update she got about him was an article that he was going to be doing welterweight as well. It meant more fights, more training and less… free time.

She frowned at the thought… less free time. Was that why he wasn't calling or texting her back? No, Sasuke almost always replied instantly. Within an hour, at most. But he would tell her in advance he would be putting his phone away. And he saw her. She knows he did. Yet he chose to leave instead of coming up to talk to her.

She groaned some more and sunk her face deeper into the pillow. Then that means he _was_ avoiding her.

"Sakura, darling!" Her mother chirped and opened her bedroom door.

Oh great.

She put on a grin and rolled over to face her mom. Mebuki was holding a small envelope in her hands, a wide smile on her face. "I got the photos back, look!"

Sakura sat up and leaned closer to her mom as she went through the printed photos. It was cute that her mother still preferred printing photos out and putting them in albums. She was also known for adding more picture frames in her office, too. It was undeniable, the little island in the Pacific that they went to was absolutely beautiful. A modern little gem sitting in the middle of a country that Sakura never thought she would be able to visit.

Her mother pushed one photo to her and grinned. The sand was as white and fine. The water looked blue and calm as if the ocean were a swimming pool. The sun was up, and Sakura and her father were sitting on the shore, talking to each other as they watched small boats sail by. She smiled softly. She and her dad were having a heart to heart talk, one thing she missed doing with him.

Sakura reached for another photo. This one was of the three of them, sitting by the resort's pool. She remembered her mother asking a waiter to take a photo of them. This one was surely going to be put on her mother's desk, and maybe a smaller one printed for her father's wallet.

Her mother kept flipping through, happily chatting away about their little escape to the beach. One photo caught Sakura's eye, though. It was a photo of the three of them in the airport, taken by Ino as she had dropped them all off. Sakura's smile was wide, but she recalled how pained she was to go.

The corner of her mouth dipped to a frown. She had already packed her bags, and made arrangements with her best friend to watch Sasuke's fight. Naruto was going to be in that fight as well, and Ino was excited to watch. But at the last minute, her father called the girls and announced that he booked tickets to the Philippines, for an escape for a few days. Sakura was at a loss for words… she felt like her whole world stopped.

"But… we have… plans," Sakura responded weakly. "Booked a hotel and everything…"

Mebuki raised a brow at her daughter, and her father waved her off. "You can always rebook, honey. Besides, Ino, if you want to come, you can. I can just call my agent and—"

"Oh no, Mr. Haruno!" Ino wrung her hands. "I'll—I'll be okay. I'll just uuhh…" she gave Sakura a sideways glance. "I'll… rebook. You three have fun, though. When is your flight?"

"Tonight!" He grinned. "But really, Ino. You can come."

Ino shook her head violently from side to side. "N-no. I don't want to intrude, it's fine, really."

Sakura thought she must have looked crestfallen because Ino suddenly offered to drive them to the airport instead, and help Sakura repack her belongings. Her father was happy and thanked her for being such a good friend. Mebuki on the other hand merely nodded.

The entire time Sakura was just on her bed, lying miserably and complaining about how impulsive her parents were while Ino opened her suitcase and started packing for her.

"What am I going to tell Sasuke-kun?" She cried.

Ino placed a hand on her hip. "That your parents booked you three tickets to an island half-way across the world and booked you the best resort there. What else?"

Sakura gave her best friend an incredulous look. "Like he would believe that. On the same week of his fight?"

Ino threw her hands up in the air. "Sakura, doesn't he know that this is the kind of thing your parents pull all the time? Besides," Ino stuffed a towel in the suitcase with a little more force than necessary, "It's the truth. He'll see photos, and I can tell him you had no choice."

She looked at her, still lying on the bed with a sad look on her face. "Do I really not have a choice? I'm not twelve anymore!"

She picked out another shirt and a pair of shorts from her closet. "You know, I agree with you, forehead. I really do. But are you going to tell your parents that, for real?"

Sakura looked away.

"I didn't think so." Ino went back to packing for her, making the outfits she chose for Sakura fit and walked into her bathroom, to pack toiletries no doubt.

"He's going to hate me. He won't get it…" Sakura mumbled.

Ino came out holding a bunch of products in her arms and stuffing them into a smaller pouch. "You know, most people won't. But if he really likes you, and I bet he does, he would understand. But if he doesn't, then he's a prick."

"He's not a prick…"

"Then he would understand!" Ino snapped. "Honestly, Sakura. This isn't the first time this happened." Ino hated it whenever Sakura moped about her parents and her… strict situation. "When we were in high school, your mom booked you three tickets to Europe on a _whim_."

"She did that because she found out Kimimaro was courting me—" she shot up. "Wait…"

Ino froze. "You don't think…"

Green and blue eyes locked. "She _knows_."

.

.

.

Mebuki sorted through her mail and opened her checkbook. Her credit card bills had finally been sent, and it was time for her to pay her dues. She opened another drawer and a neat pile of papers was kept together with a silver paperclip. One by one, she sorted through her bills.

Electricity. Water. Insurance. And then Sakura's credit card bill.

Her brow rose. She went through the contents briefly. Some bills for shopping, food, and groceries. But there was one thing missing… her yoga subscription.

Odd… Sakura had been going almost every morning, if not, she would go in the afternoon after her classes.

She had half a mind to call Sakura. Had the girl been paying in cash? No… that subscription was on an automatic deduction. Mebuki opened another drawer and leafed through the files. She pulled out the bills from the last five months and found that Sakura had subscribed to a quarterly billing statement. Then that… didn't make sense. That bill should have come in _last_ month. But as Mebuki checked, there was nothing.

She pulled out her phone and looked for the Yoga Studio's number. She would have to get to the bottom of this. It would be embarrassing that her daughter had been going to class and not paying her dues! Surely, there was a mistake on the accounting's side.

After a few rings, a perky girl answered. "Namaste! This is Modern Yogi's, how can I help you?"

"Yes, hello. Umm… I'm calling to check on my daughter's statement. Sakura Haruno. I believe I haven't received the bill for her subscription."

"Alrighty, let me check. Please wait." After a few seconds, the girl picked up again. "I just checked… Sakura's subscription ended two months ago, and she hasn't been coming in since then."

Mebuki's brows furrowed. "No… that can't be right. She's been going there every day." She picked up the bill again and took a good look. "Was there a reason why she stopped the subscription? I know this was supposed to be done on a monthly basis, automatically deducted."

"Hmm… I'm not so sure, but she signed up for quarterly, and then just didn't renew… we haven't seen her here in a while after she came with her friend."

"Friend?"

"Oh yeah, she came in here to claim the bring-a-newbie-freebie. If you bring a friend who has never registered with our studio, you can get a class for free."

"And this friend… who is she?" This was strange… Sakura never mentioned she was making new friends. Her daughter was always enthusiastic when it came to new people, sparing no detail of their interaction and how significant they were in her life over dinner or any given time she could when she was with them.

"Checking now… A Mr. Sasuke Uchiha? He came in once, and then didn't come in again."

" _Mister?_ " Mebuki's eyes widened. Sasuke Uchiha. She knew that name. Why was it so familiar. She knows she's heard or at least have met this person before… And then it hit her, the Golden Glove. He was at the Golden Glove.

But he was… Ino's friend, right? Friends with that blond boy she was always with. Then it would be normal for Sakura to make friends with him, right? But why would Sakura never mention him? Especially not after taking him to yoga. And where on earth was she going if she wasn't going to yoga?

Mebuki thanked the lady and put the phone down. She looked at all the papers in front of her, thinking of why on earth her daughter would lie.

And then… it clicked.

She was dating this boy.

.

.

.

"Sakura, darling."

Sakura snapped out of it and placed the photo back in the pile. "Yes, mom?"

Mebuki gave her a warm smile. "You know you can tell me anything, right?" She shuffled the photos back into the envelope and then looked back at her.

She found her mother's gaze to be… unsettling, despite the warm smile and honey tone she took. "Y-yeah. Of course."

Her mother nodded. "How have your yoga classes been going? Improving with your poses?"

"Yeah!" Sakura's voice didn't even falter. It's not like she was lying… right? "I can halfway do a handstand now."

"Oh, is that right?" Mebuki stood and held the envelope close to her chest. "Well, then, you should come and show me sometime."

Sakura nodded, "Okay, sure."

Mebuki smiled and made to leave but turned around again. "How is Ino and her boyfriend doing? That boy with the blond hair? What's his name again?"

She blinked. "Naruto? They're fine, mom. Like, really good. It gets kind of gross sometimes." Sakura rolled her eyes.

Her mother giggled. "Taking this one seriously then, I suppose? What does he do again?"

"I've never seen her so happy, actually. Umm… He's an MMA fighter."

"Oh right!" Mebuki perked up. "Didn't he have a fight recently? I think I saw something of hers on her Instagram while we were on the beach."

Sakura stiffened. This was… getting oddly into specifics. She knew her mother and Ino were mutuals on Instagram but she never really brought up any of her posts unless she was in it… "I'm not so sure, but let me go check with her, Mom. I don't think she's mentioned any. If he did, she would have called."

"She doesn't invite you to his fights?" Mebuki looked shocked.

Damn it was getting hot in here. Can she stand to open a window or something? "She did once, I declined. I had to… study."

Mebuki nodded. "That's my girl, so responsible." She turned on her heel and left while saying, "Always remember your priorities, darling."

Sakura felt herself shrink… Her voice came out tiny. "Yes, mom."

.

.

.

Ino watched her best friend lay in her bed. "She knows, Pig, she knows!" her incessant crying was muffled by her pillows and Ino massaged her temples. She sat next to her in bed.

"And I'm guessing Sasuke doesn't know?"

"We aren't speaking still."

Ino sighed. "Do I need to do this myself?"

Sakura peeked from the pillow. "Can you?"

"No!" Ino snapped. "I mean, I could but, come on, Forehead!"

"How can I fix it when he won't even speak to me!"

"Go to him!" Ino rolled her eyes. "Go to his gym and bring him museli like you used to. Go there and talk to him and explain what happened. Again, if he isn't a prick, he'll understand."

Sakura said nothing.

"This is the part where you tell me he isn't a prick." Ino's lips pressed to a fine line, her big blue eyes waiting for her best friend's response.

Sakura groaned. "No, he's a prick."

"He isn't!" Ino screeched. "Oh my god, can you stop it? You haven't even tried!" She sighed. "Okay, look. I know for a fact Naruto's going to train with Sasuke tomorrow. How about… I take you to the gym to talk to him and I take Naruto to leave you two. Is that enough of a setup? Or would you like me to write your script for you as well?"

Sakura mumbled, "Can you?"

"NO!"

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **What would Sakura do without Ino?  
This was a short transition chapter so the next will be posted much sooner, expect it within the week!**

 **Drop us a review and let us know what you think?**

 **XD**


	16. Missed

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Sixteen-**

Missed

* * *

If Sasuke thought his life was busy before, he'd never been more wrong. It had been too easy to take time each morning with Sakura and sometimes even have lunch or dinner with her but now, he barely had time to sit when he ate.

There was one interview after the next. Everybody was talking about him, everywhere he went people stopped him. His trainers were more like personal security these days. His favorite thing about moving to welterweight was getting to eat freely. He was having no issue gaining weight, even with the intense training he was undergoing.

Every morning when he woke up, he went into his sitting room where he and Sakura would practice their yoga and he'd do just as they did each day. It was hard keeping up with it without her, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to stop. After a session, he always felt relaxed, at peace. His mind would be clear and he'd be ready for his day. But all too often he would see her as if she were there, he would hear her speaking to him.

" _You're doing great Sasuke-kun!"_

It was in those moments that he'd lose all concentration, fall out of position and grow irritated with himself. It had been two weeks since they'd laid eyes on each other- even longer since they'd spoken and yet… she would not get out of his head.

That girl had really grown on him. It hadn't taken long for her to carve herself into him, where he didn't feel the same without her. He'd so easily imagined his life with her at his side, attending all his fights, coming to his practices… she was always smiling… always seeming so sincere, so pure… but… now he felt that she'd never felt anything for him at all.

With his pride in the way, Sasuke refused to reach out to her. Even when he did have a moment to do so. He'd been so busy that most days he left his phone at home. He was always with Kakashi and his trainers, and he saw Naruto most days. Sometimes the dobe would call him on his home phone, which was annoying, but Sasuke never said anything to him about it.

Today Sasuke finished his yoga on schedule but with Sakura on his mind, he didn't think about eating breakfast or even having a protein shake before heading out to the gym. Many days Naruto was there before he arrived, even though Sasuke wasn't much later than he normally was. He had a lot to look forward to, and even though Sakura kept popping into his mind against his will, he was focused on his future, on his goals, on where he wanted to be someday soon.

In just over a week he would have his first fight in the welterweight division with a man who'd fought for the title himself before. Sasuke had been researching him thoroughly, he fighting style was virtually identical to Sasuke's. It would certainly be one hell of a fight, possibly the toughest one Sasuke had ever participated in. Not that he was worried, he had every intention of finishing the guy off just as he did any other opponent he faced.

Before Sasuke could walk out of his door his home phone rang. He dropped his training gear by the door and jogged through the house to get it, grumbling in annoyance at the interruption. It had to be Naruto… nobody else would call him so early in the morning.

"What?" He snapped, not bothering to answer the phone like a normal person.

"Oy… Bastard… You better be coming to the gym this morning. I'm fired up!"

"What the hell are you on about, Dobe?" Sasuke rolled his eyes. Naruto should have known he was on his way to the gym.

"You heard me… You might better bring some pain killers because I'm going to wipe the floor with your face today. You think you're so high and mighty… Mr. Prodigy. _Tch_. Please."

"You must be itching for an ass-kicking today," Sasuke muttered. "I'm glad you're so fired up. I'm on my way."

Sasuke hung up then, not knowing what the hell Naruto was thinking. He'd never called him in the morning with such nonsense… it didn't make sense but then, this was Naruto… and he was the Dobe for a reason.

Upon arriving at the gym, Sasuke scoffed when he found that Naruto wasn't there yet. Now he was all worked up and going to have to wait on the idiot. That would only annoy him further. Not thinking much else about it, Sasuke got out of his car, grabbed his duffle bag and headed into the gym.

When he got to the bench he dropped his bag and sat down to remove his shoes and his shirt. He pulled his bag closer and unzipped it to pull out his gloves. Naruto had pissed him off enough that he didn't want a warm-up. He was ready to go straight to his ass as soon as he walked through the door. Once he found his gloves he sat them on the bench and stood to stretch out of habit. Not that he really needed stretching after his yoga session this morning.

The door opened just as he stretched his arms behind him and his eyes moved to the door to look at the dobe, but instead, all he saw was pink. It had been so long, and the sight of her was so unexpected that all Sasuke could do was gawk at her and she pranced over to him. She wasn't smiling but rather mildly glaring at him as she carried a large white plastic bag in her right hand and her purse in her left.

 _What the actual fuck._

"Sakura." He said her name, his voice low, barely audible. He was so stunned to see her, for her to be there… when they hadn't spoken in so long. Hell, she hadn't even sent but a single text. He didn't understand why she was there. "What are you doing here?" He asked before he could stop himself.

Her smile was gone and a fire was burning bright in her clear, green eyes. "You can't ignore me, not even if you _are_ Sasuke Uchiha!" she burst out. It was clear she was angry, which made it all the more confusing for Sasuke. He continued staring at her, blinking quickly and unconsciously leaned back a bit.

"What?"

"You heard me!" She pushed a finger into his chest and walked closer, making him take another step back. "I've been texting and calling. You couldn't even take a second to get back to me? I was so worried. I get you're mad at me, Sasuke-kun, but you don't just ignore someone like that!"

"Excuse me, but I haven't ignored you. There's been no calls or texts. I think I would know about it." Sasuke snapped then. He thought this would make her backpedal, but she didn't.

Sakura let out a frustrated growl and pulled her phone out of her purse. She clicked away on her phone, and Sasuke was livid. Was she really going to use her phone, right now? After attacking and accusing him like this? He opened his mouth to say something, only to be interrupted when she shoved her phone up his face. There were a number of green bubbles on the right side of the screen. "You see this? Look at this, it's all me, on different dates!"

Sakura then changed the app to her phone log and Sasuke couldn't believe his eyes. His name was on the screen three times, all marked in red. "Three calls! Different days, different times. God, I even had to ask Naruto when you might be free to talk. I never had a problem contacting you until now, Sasuke."

He was still speechless, but it worried him when tears started pooling at the corner of her eyes. "Instagram! I even messaged you there, even if I know you don't look at it, but I tried and still _nothing_. What was I supposed to think?"

"Damn it, Sakura. I haven't received any messages at all-or calls. Your phone is telling lies!"

"You ignore me and call my phone a liar?" She was livid, irritation clear in her eyes. "What is your problem? I came here wanting to apologize but after hearing you calling me _and_ my phone a liar, you can forget it! Check your notifications."

Sasuke reached towards his bag and searched for his phone, finding it after a moment's struggle. It hadn't been charged in days but somehow it had enough for him to look through it. "I don't see a damn thing." He muttered, mainly to himself because he really didn't think that Sakura's phone was a liar. For all he knew his phone could be the one telling the lies, but what was he supposed to think?

Sakura swiped his phone and started scrolling. "You have more than a hundred messages on Instagram!" she shrieked. "A thousand unread emails…" her pretty little face was contorted into such shock. "How can you live like this?"

"You think I have time for this phone nonsense. I had no interest in keeping up with it if I wasn't talking to you." He deadpanned and then his face heated when he realized what had slipped through his lips. "I mean… you didn't show up to my fight… never explained why and we quit talking. I don't talk to anyone else on that stupid phone."

"I'm really sorry. I tried reaching you…" her voice was nothing but a whisper. "I know you're not the type who wants to talk through phone so I didn't send you anything else than texts to meet up but you wouldn't respond."

Sasuke sighed then, feeling at a loss. "I didn't know there was anything to respond to." He assured her.

A brief sadness flitted through her features, but she puffed her cheeks—that determined look back in her face. "Look at this," she showed him his screen. Sasuke recognized the Instagram logo. "See?"

" _Sasuke-kun, please talk to me. :("_

"I would have never ignored you on purpose Sakura… even if I hated the fact that you missed my fight. Which I did. I would still like to know why you didn't come. I looked for you."

Her shoulders slumped and her eyes softened. "Would you please let me explain?"

"You've come all this way to talk to me, so yes. I want to know. And what's in the bag?" He asked, looking at the plastic bag in her hand.

A light blush dusted her cheeks. Sakura took the bag and pulled out a clear jar. She grinned and chirped, "breakfast muesli. Different one this time."

"Breakfast?" Sasuke swallowed, guilt washing over him like a tsunami. Damn her for being so perfect. He couldn't stand the fact that he loved it so much. "Fine, I should probably eat that while you explain."

Sakura laughed. "Is breakfast all it takes for you to forgive me?"

"I forgave you the instant you stepped into this gym. Breakfast was just an added bonus to your company. Especially since Naruto called me this morning and I forgot to grab something."

Her blush deepened. "Right… Naruto isn't coming. I—I asked him not to." Sakura refused to meet his gaze, looking even more sheepish by the second.

"Then why the hell did that idiot call me talking shit this morning?" Sasuke huffed before taking a seat on the bench, mouth watering at the sight of the breakfast jar still in Sakura's hands.

She bit her lower lip and handed him the jar. "I asked him and Ino for help to make you show up… I really needed to talk to you."

"Hn… well, I'm here to listen." He said as he opened the jar and grabbed a spoon.

Sakura didn't speak for a while, she seemed to be deep in thought as she watched him have his first spoonful. Her eyes lit up when Sasuke eagerly dug into the museli.

"Like it?" she smiled, a light teasing tone in her voice.

"It's delicious. Thank you." He told her, meeting her eyes directly for the longest of moments before returning to his breakfast.

Her smile brightened for a bit before she released a heavy sigh. "I'm really sorry I couldn't go, Sasuke-kun. It's a bad excuse, but I hope you'll understand." she fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, stealing a few glances at his face from time to time. "My dad surprised me for an impromptu trip. He remembered how I was raving about the beach and that I wanted to go back soon... He also felt bad he missed our monthly family dinner last time so he decided to whisk my mom and me away for the weekend to the Philippines..."

Sasuke couldn't help but feel even more disappointed by her explanation. He understood that her parents meant a lot to her, they were close. He couldn't blame her for wanting to spend time with them. Could he really expect her to show up to his fight when her father wanted to whisk her away half-way across the world _for a weekend_? It was more than that bothering him… it was the fact that their _friendship_ had to remain a secret from her parents. He didn't need her to admit it to know that this was a fact. Just the way Ino covered up for him during the Golden Glove was enough of an explanation.

"Did you have fun?" He asked quietly, trying not to be an ass about the situation. He cared a lot about Sakura and he wished they could have _more_ together… but he could accept what they already had if he had to.

Sakura forced a smile and tried to sound as cheerful as possible. "Sure. The beach is always fun. One of the most beautiful places I've been to, honestly. Maybe we should go some time." Though the way her hands were balled into tight fists on her lap made her feelings clear.

"I doubt it honestly… I've got a lot going on. I'm moving up to welterweight and will be fighting more often. I have another fight scheduled next week. My days are filled. Every day. A lot has changed since we last spoke."

A look of excitement flashed through her face. "This is good news, isn't it? I mean, the welterweight thing. Naruto told me you can eat anything now." She kept her tone as light as she could, but hearing him deny her invitation and the implication of his schedule weighed on her shoulders.

Sasuke nodded as he swallowed another bite of his museli. "It's great news. I'll be making more money… but I'll also be traveling more, training more."

Nodding solemnly, Sakura chewed on her lower lip. "That does sound great." Her voice faltered a bit before she continued, "I guess this means we can't see each other anymore, right?"

"You knew this was my profession when you met me. You know where I train. Where I live… and you're always invited to my fights. So you tell me… does it mean we can't see each other anymore?"

She took a deep breath before replying, "you make it sound like I have to do everything around here, Sasuke-kun." The words floated in the air for a few moments in silence.

Sasuke sighed as he sat the now empty jar aside. "I can't help feeling that you've never wanted me in your life… Except for when you want to be in mine. You act like your parents can't know we're friends. I mean… What do you want from me? I've welcomed you into my whole life with open arms. My mother asks about you almost on a daily basis."

Sakura hummed and nodded her head, a small smile on her face after she commented how cute his mom was, to which he rolled his eyes. Her gaze settled on the octagon in front of them. "It's not that I want to hide you from my parents, Sasuke-kun. It's just that..." she turned to face him and bit her lower lip. "I'm not sure you'd like them to know."

"You met my entire family... if it were up to me we would be much closer than we have been. It's like you're afraid and I get that. I really do. I've been scared since I met you… But not scared enough to give up on having you."

He would fight for her, but she had to fight for him too.

She looked away and tugged at the hem of her skirt. "I'm sorry. My parents are different. They're really… protective."

Sasuke snorted at this. "As am I." he said before sighing. "Look… I don't want to argue. I like having you around. I would make time for you no matter what and you know it. But I expect the same in return. That goes for showing up to my fights."

"I can't promise that right now," Sakura replied with her lips in a tight line. "But I can promise to try."

"What else can I ask for?" Sasuke forced a smile then, hating the defeated look on her face. "Stop frowning now. You know you're too cute for that."

Heat rose to her cheeks and her eyes lit up with glee, tears pooling at the corners. "Thank you." She smiled so wide and it felt like forever since Sasuke saw her this happy. "Does this mean we're friends again?"

"Depends… are you coming to my house in the morning? Or do I need to find a new yoga instructor?"

Sakura laughed. "Sure, tomorrow morning. If you're not too busy, maybe you can drop me off to the hospital after." A sly smile spread on her face.

"If you remember _which_ hospital I work in, that is."

"Tch. Just who do you think I am? Of course I know and I will drop you off." Sasuke scoffed, unable to believe she doubted him so.

She giggled and stood up from the bench. "Sure you do, Mr. Prodigy. No asking Naruto for details." She stuck her tongue out playfully at him and picked her purse up. "I would love to stay, but I have…" she stopped mid-sentence and looked at Sasuke, still keeping that teasing look on her face.

"You have work?" He asked, standing alongside her.

She smiled. "Yeah, and then lunch with my mom. I'll be free in the afternoon. Maybe we can have dinner?"

"Hn. I think I could skip an interview for that. Who wants to be on TV anyways?" Sasuke smirked. It would be nice to have her back around and neglect his public duties.

"Hey! My co-worker will kill me if she found out my dinner plans were the cause of you not appearing on TV. You're a favorite in our lunchroom." She was laughing so much and god he missed the sound of it. "It's nice to see and hear you while I'm at work, you know? Even if it is behind a screen." Sakura smiled sincerely at him, clear that she missed him enough to say these little things to him.

"There will be plenty more interviews so don't worry. Tonight will be just about us." He promised, stepping closer to her and raising his hand to her face, fingers tucking her hair behind her ear ever so slowly. "I've missed you."

She leaned into his touch and smiled sweetly. "I missed you too, Sasuke-kun. I'm happy we're talking again."

"Me too… it's a good thing you stopped avoiding me." He said, but couldn't keep himself from chuckling.

The fire in her eyes returned and she hit him playfully. "Check your phone once in a while! You were the one ignoring _me_!" She huffed and crossed her arms. "And don't call my phone a liar again. It's done nothing wrong to you!"

Sasuke poked her nose playfully. "Guess I'll try to keep up with my phone… just to know when yours is telling lies."

"It doesn't!" She stuck her tongue out at him but laughed and held his hand in both of hers. "I'll teach you how to use Instagram. Your fans will love seeing you use it." Before he could even respond, Sakura burst out, "reminds me! Who's your media partner? Maybe I can come to your interviews."

"Media what now?" Sasuke's brows pulled together. "I don't know about any of that. Kakashi handles it. I could probably get you in either way."

Sakura chuckled. "Of course he does. Right. It's okay, I can ask Ino. But I will teach you how to use Instagram. Let's go to this cute little place tonight. I'll teach you how to take photos and everything." Sakura started chatting away again, getting carried away whenever she would talk about something she was passionate about.

"Whatever you want… But I don't plan to be active. It might sound shitty but… I'm sick of these fans. I've had enough."

"You'll change your mind once you see how many people look at it and say nice things about the things you post. Besides," Sakura grinned, "I'd like to see little snippets of your day too, you know? I'm a fan, after all."

"Is that right? Well then… that changes everything."

She giggled. "I thought it might. I'll see you later, then?"

Sasuke nodded. "Yes, you will."

As he watched her leave with a smile and a wave, Sasuke was overwhelmed with the amount of relief he felt. To see her again and let go of all the anger and misery he felt… It was exhilarating. She'd been trying to reach him this whole time and he didn't even know.

It was wrong of him to be so upset with her for missing his last fight. Things happened. She still supported him. He wanted her there, it hurt him to not have her there, but he couldn't blame her for it.

Sakura meant a lot to him, he knew this because it had hurt like hell not seeing and talking to her every day. She was the only woman besides his mother that he welcomed into his life and he didn't want to lose her over something so nonsensical.

With a smile on his face, Sasuke started his training for the day. He couldn't wait to see her again.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Back with the update! XD**

 **It's so great hearing from you guys and everyone's frustration is understood, trust us!**

 **This chapter had a little variety of feels and we hope you enjoyed it. Are you guys glad they made up?**

 **Please drop us a review and let us know what you think~ they're so motivating.**

 **Until next time,**

 **Tyy and Kairi**


	17. Exposed

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Seventeen-**

Exposed

* * *

Sakura walked out of the gym, heart feeling full and light again. She was so happy that she didn't even bother giving the two blonds a dirty look when they were so obviously listening in on their conversation. Ino hastily gave an excuse, and Naruto was laughing like a fool, but it didn't matter to her. She and Sasuke were talking again. They were friends again.

Friends.

That made her heart twist. That's all they were, weren't they? Friends. Who have… kissed. On more than one occasion. Her cheeks burned and she shook her head. No, don't think about that now. She hopped in her car and started the ignition.

They kissed. They were talking again. They were going to have dinner… together.

This was a date then, right?

Sakura screamed in her car and hid her face. "Calm down, Sakura. Calm down. You and Sasuke-kun just got to talking again," she spoke to herself. She turned the radio on and pumped up the volume. "Don't jinx it. Don't be weird and ask him to DTR. Don't."

She pulled out of the parking lot and kept muttering to herself. But she couldn't help it… all her memories with Sasuke came back. From the first time, she brought him breakfast at the gym and him setting her table. Watching his fight and that accidental kiss. She opened a window. Damn, it was too hot in here. It was supposed to be cooling down now. Why was it so hot?

She gulped and drove to the hospital in a daze. Once she parked, she sent a text for her car to be picked up and left her keys with valet.

"Having dinner out with friends. Will be fetched in the hospital." she sent the text to her mom, and then made her way up the office. Once she saw the time, her eyes widened.

Shit, she was late. Again.

.

.

.

Sakura waited in the lobby, her hair in a one-sided braid and she straightened her skirt out for the nth time. Ino was kind enough to drop her off a dress… more like, over-enthusiastically dropped her off a dress. All she asked was to borrow something but Ino was extra and bought her something new.

"You two need to celebrate, forehead," she said. "I booked you a sushi place, too. Our fave!"

Sakura rolled her eyes but was thankful for the arrangements. Sushi sounded good after a long day at work. She just hoped Sasuke was into it, too… Thinking that he could eat anything these days calmed her worries. If he didn't like sushi, they could always go to another place. She slumped down on the sofa and scrolled through her phone, keeping a close eye on her notifications. He should be pulling upfront right around now. It wasn't like Sasuke to be late.

As if on cue, there was screaming and Sakura sat up. She looked at the entrance of the lobby, expecting to see a gurney being rushed in or something. But this wasn't the ER… then that could only mean…

"OH MY GOD, IT'S SASUKEEEE!" A girl shrieked.

Sakura covered her ears and grimaced as more girls started screaming. Some of these girls were in casts and they could still scream up a storm.

Sasuke strode in cooly, hands in his pockets, eyes locked on her. He didn't even spare the other girls a look. He stopped right in front of her and Sakura stood up. "H-hi."

He smirked. "Ready to go?"

She blinked. "Didn't you just… pull up? Did you leave your car out on the driveway?" She was hysteric. Sasuke wasn't dumb but who the hell was driving? Can't leave the driveway blocked to the hospital!

He smirked again. "I parked."

"Oh…" Well, Sasuke isn't dumb. Maybe she was whenever she was distracted. Her eyes skimmed his figure as he lead the way to the parking lot. He was in jeans and a nice gray button-down shirt that was rolled up to his elbows. Giving herself a once over, she was thankful Ino bought her a nice dress. If she wore the slacks and blouse she wore to work, she would be too embarrassed to be seen with him.

There were still girls who were asking for a photo with him, to which, Sasuke declined. He looked… annoyed to say the least. Sakura's lips curled. Sasuke really did have a reputation of not being too friendly. But she never felt that whenever she was with him, even when he was around Ino and Naruto. It made her feel a little more special if anything.

Once they got to the parking, Sakura made a quick look at the slot she parked in earlier. Her red car was already replaced with a black one and she breathed easy knowing it was already picked up. She would have to bring a token for the valet boy next time she came to work.

Sasuke opened the door for her, and waited for her to settle before jogging over to the driver's side. As he turned on the radio, he placed a hand on the wheel and asked, "Didn't you drive to work today?"

"Yes, I did." Sakura was on her phone, sending a thank you text to the valet boy.

"Then where is your car?"

"I got valet to bring it home because you said you would fetch me here." She put her phone away and looked at him, a smile on her face. "Is something wrong?"

Sasuke grimaced. "No." He backed up the car and drove out of the parking lot. "What do you want to eat for dinner?"

"Oh!" Sakura clapped her hands together. "Ino made a reservation for us at my favorite sushi place. Do you like sushi?"

"I do." Sasuke nodded, offering her a small smile.

She cheered and gave him directions. They went to the other part of town, and her eyes glittered as the restaurant came to view. It was a small place and designed to look like an old fish port. The signage was made to look like a pallet, and the benches for those in the queue looked like upturned wooden trays. Even the servers were in black and wearing a bandana over their hair with Japanese writing on it.

Not as upscale as the places she and Ino were always eating in, but this little gem was introduced to her by one of Ino's childhood friends, and they also served pretty good barbecue. At least Sasuke can order some meat if he wanted to.

Sakura approached the lady and asked for her reservation, they were ushered inside right away and sat down on a booth table. It was packed and busy. Quite noisy, but it was still comforting for Sakura. She loved to eat here in her early college days… back when she wasn't half as busy studying for Med School.

Sasuke sat across her and looked around. There were fake nets hanging from the ceiling, and graffiti looking Japanese prices on the walls, like a real fish market. "This place is nice."

"You think so?" She grinned. "Wait until you try the food, Sasuke-kun. I could eat everything they have in here." She chatted away again, looking at the menu and pointing at the pictures. "They have traditional sushi, but I recommend the rolls. And oh, let's get the steak, it's also good. How many can you eat?"

"Which rolls do you recommend again?"

"I've tried all of them," she blushed. "But I highly recommend these six. But ah, that's plenty since I want you to try the steak and-"

"Order all six, plus the steak. Make it two."

Her eyes bulged. "You can eat all that?"

He shrugged a shoulder up. "I need it."

She laughed nervously. "Umm… okay. But save room for dessert. Their matcha Tiramisu is also good, you know?"

He nodded. "Okay, order that as well."

Her lip twitched. "O-kay." She called for the server and even they seemed surprised they were ordering that much. She was asked if they were expecting more people to come but Sasuke growled and denied it.

"We got a full house, so please expect your food in twenty to thirty minutes. I'll get you two some water and tea."

Sakura thanked the server and giggled at Sasuke's sour expression.

"Thirty minutes?"

Yeah, he was hungry. She laughed. "It's good, Sasuke-kun. I swear, it's worth it!"

"Hn."

She decided to distract him first. "Okay, pull out your phone. Open Instagram. I need to teach you how to use it."

He pouted but pulled it out anyway. "Okay."

Sakura dictated step by step how to make a post and a story, and what they could be used for. She would turn the screen to him once in a while, but she noticed his thumbs were barely moving, they were just hovering over the screen. "Sasuke-kun, are you even doing it?"

"I can't find the camera you're talking about," he grumbled.

"Upper left!" Sakura screeched. "Oh my god, Sasuke-kun." She stood up and slid into his side of the booth, leaning a little too close for comfort. Her head was practically on his shoulder as she pointed around on his screen, still chatting about how to make a story on Instagram. "They're temporary, and only last twenty-four hours. But if you want it on your profile, you add it to your highlights here."

There was nothing on Sasuke's personal account, so for the sake of a good example, he logged into his professional account, and his notifications blew up. Sakura's eyes went wide seeing the number on the red button. "Don't you ever read those?"

"Hn. My manager does."

"But you can post on here if you want to, right? I mean, Naruto does it all the time on his."

Sasuke snickered. "That Dobe has gotten into a lot of trouble because of his access."

Sakura laughed, "Yeah, he told me. But that doesn't seem to stop him." She looked at the screen and showed Sasuke that there were some stories on his profile saved. Some were parts of interviews, other clips of his fight. The ones on his feed were mostly photos of him holding up his fist, his winning stance.

There was a photo of Sasuke there, doing push-ups during training. One comment particularly caught her eye.

"Daddy, you are so good in bed. Hmu again." with a winky smile.

She froze. Sasuke didn't seem to see the comment, as he was scrolling through, snickering once in a while. The server put their food down on their table, and she was too distracted to even thank the server.

A feast was laid before them and Sasuke put his phone down in front of her, eyes shining at all the food. He was famished, excited to eat. He took a pair of chopsticks and handed one to her, and took another for himself. "Oh wait," He looked at her, and she was holding on to his phone, scrolling through the comments yet again.

"Sakura, are these one of the times I should post on my… feed?"

She shook her head, "Oh, _stories_ , Sasuke-kun. The food doesn't go well with your feed aesthetic."

"Ah."

Sakura handed him his phone back and she stood up to sit across him again. Sasuke raised a brow, lips slightly apart. She didn't want to say why she wanted to put some distance between them… seeing those comments just made her uncomfortable. She grinned and set herself in front of the food.

"You go take a photo, and show me before you post it." She pulled out her own phone and angled it, taking a photo of the sushi and steak.

Sasuke snapped a photo but didn't show her. He just posted it right away and shoved his phone into his pocket.

"Hey, you didn't show me!" Sakura puffed her cheeks.

"Forget it," Sasuke waved her off. "Kakashi started calling me. I think he's going to yell at me for skipping the interview."

She pouted. "You didn't tell him?"

"I did." He popped a roll in his mouth and started chewing. "An hour ago."

"An hour ago?" She shrieked. "That's irresponsible!"

He shrugged. "I forgot, okay? I was busy. I wanted to come fetch you already."

Sakura opened and closed her mouth like a fish. It made Sasuke smirk. "Keep doing that and they might mount you on the wall with the other fake seafood."

Her cheeks burned. "Sasuke-kun!"

He laughed and tried the steak next. "This is good."

Sakura was relieved to know he liked the food. She also dug in, ignoring her phone. They ate in silence and she quietly marvelled at how much Sasuke could eat. Once they finished—well, technically it was Sasuke who finished all four sets—she ordered two more and the server happily went back to the kitchen to place their order.

Despite the good food, she still couldn't shake off those comments. Has Sasuke really slept with that many girls? There were a lot of girls who said those things for the hell of it but… he was popular. She saw him signing boobs for god's sake. He didn't even look fazed in the least. And she recalled Naruto yapping away, reminding him no sex before fights. Was that really how it went for him? Having a different girl to fill his bed at night?

She bit her lower lip. She hadn't been laid since her last boyfriend, which was over a year ago. Despite Ino's encouragement, Sakura just couldn't stand the idea of a fuckbuddy or a one-night stand. That just wasn't her. She looked at Sasuke, still stuffing his face, and still looking so attractive. It didn't matter if he was in gym clothes, a button-down, or hell, _shirtless_. He always looked so handsome. It really would have been a crime if he didn't get any girl he wanted.

But what if… she was just one of those girls?

She put her chopsticks down and drank water. Her cheeks were flushing at the thought. A mixture of anger and embarrassment. How could she be so easy? Just one snap of his fingers and she would make herself available for dinner.

"Is something wrong?" He looked up from his steak and quirked an eyebrow up. "You're being quiet."

"Umm… Nothing!" She grinned. "Say, Sasuke-kun," she tucked her hair behind her ear nervously and tugged at her braid. "H-how many girls have you been with?"

"What?" he deadpanned.

"I know, it's weird!" She wrung her hands. "I just thought… you know, those comments."

"What comments?" He wiped his mouth with a napkin and looked right at her. Oh god. Was he mad? Was there too many to count?

"Like, how many girls have you liked? Dated?"

"Just one." He leaned back.

"One?!"

"My mother."

Sakura wanted to scream. Was that… for real?

Sasuke snickered. "Yeah. I date my mom at least once a month. She makes sure I do. I don't do the asking out, though. She does."

Sakura laughed. Mikoto was a woman who knew what she wanted and made sure she always got it. Perhaps Sasuke got that from her. "Wait, so, you've never dated a girl before? Other than your mom?"

"I'm on a date with you right now, aren't I?"

Oh god. It was getting hot in here. Too much wasabi. She needed water, right now. So, she drank to hide her blush and her ever-quickening heart rate. A date. This was a date! Sasuke-kun's first date.

"Umm… okay. Then… do you like it? Dating, I mean?"

He smiled, head tilting slightly as he watched her. "I suppose… since it's you I'm dating."

Her blush deepened. The server put down their food, and she was saved by the bell. He was still looking at her, though. She forgot how just having him look at her could make her feel all sorts of things…

She couldn't say anything, but jumped when her phone started ringing out of nowhere. There were notifications flooding in, new followers and messages. Her brows knitted together and she looked at the cause of the notifications. Over two hundred new followers and comments and likes on her posts! Her eyes widened.

It was a photo of her, taking a photo of the sushi. "Learning how to use Instagram from the master _SakuraHaruno" was written on the photo. This was posted on Sasuke's professional account, on his _feed_ , not a story.

Sakura's eyes widened. Out of all the black, white, and splashes of red on his Instagram feed, there was her photo, on the top left, a bright pink and baby blue. It not only broke his entire feed's carefully curated aesthetic, but she was the only non-Sasuke thing on it. It was personal, and he even tagged her!

"Oh my god, what did you do?" She shoved her screen at his face, but he only laughed.

"What? You said I should post more things on my account."

"Your personal one!" She shook her phone, and it was still vibrating, gaining a new follower every second. More and more people were commenting on Sasuke's photo, too.

He pulled his phone out and looked. "It looks good." He frowned when he received another call. Still from Kakashi. He ignored the call and put his phone back in his pocket.

"Is this… okay?" Sakura bristled. "I mean, I know Kakashi doesn't like me being seen with you and stuff and you post this…"

"Fuck Kakashi." Sasuke snorted. "I do what I want."

She blinked. "If you say so. I just don't want to cause you any trouble."

"I'll be fine… as long as you are." He assured her, looking ridiculously happy about the whole situation.

Sakura laughed. "It's fine, Sasuke-kun. I mean," she looked at her screen and snickered. "You got me like, five-hundred new followers. Ino is going to flip."

"They better not bother you or anything." He muttered, face falling a bit then.

She shrugged and read a comment, "Well, one of them said I was cute and they're happy for you. I guess that's not considered bothering, right?" She grinned and then placed her phone away. She took another roll and popped it in her mouth.

"Eh. You're cute but only I should be saying that." He grumbled. "Who said that?"

Sakura shrugged. "One of my med school friends. Didn't even know she was a fan."

"Ah. That's fine then." He said with a look of relief and then sipped his tea.

"For a moment there, I would have thought you were jealous," she teased.

"I don't get jealous… though I might get a little… rowdy." He shrugged.

"Violence is never the key, Sasuke-kun," Sakura warned.

"I beg to differ. After all, I do kick ass for a living."

She laughed. She had forgotten about that for a moment. Perhaps it wasn't the key, but it did pay the bills, after all. There was an.. Irony to it. But Sasuke was good at what he did, and he was played clean. Won fair and square. Didn't even need to cheat to win. Not even close.

Once the waiter came by with their bill, Sasuke snatched it up before she could and he placed a bill in. He handed it back to the waiter and looked at her. "Let's go?"

"You're not going to wait for your change?"

Sasuke shrugged. "They served well. They deserve it."

She smiled. "Thank you for dinner, then."

Sasuke didn't rush on the drive to her home and he'd reached over, taking her hand in his and holding it along the way. They spoke about dinner and about his upcoming fight. Sasuke was looking forward to fighting in the new weight division and explained that he had gained his weight already but didn't mind gaining even more. It was easy for Sakura to see how happy he was with the direction his career was taking.

When he pulled into her drive, he put his car in park and looked over at her. Sasuke smiled warmly and raised her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. "I really enjoyed our date, Sakura. I want to do it again."

She returned his warm smile and squeezed his hand. "I enjoyed it, too. Let's! You can choose what you want to do this time. Like, an activity or something."

"Okay. I'll think about it. Maybe we can talk more about it in the morning… I believe I'm due for a lesson." He smirked.

She smirked, too. "Your poses better not be getting sloppy, Sasuke-kun." She took her purse and leaned in closer to him. "I'll be there at six."

"I'll be eager to show you how much I've been practicing." He chuckled and closed the distance between their noses, rubbing his across hers for a second. Then he leaned even closer and kissed her, a sweet and tender caress to her lips. He didn't linger too long though before pulling back. "I'll text you."

Sakura was breathless. "Okay." She lingered a little more, deciding if she wanted another kiss or not… of course she wanted another but the click on her front door made the hair at the back of her neck stand. "I'll see you, Sasuke-kun. Thank you again, and goodnight." She rushed out of his car, and was face to face with her father.

"Oh, dad. Hi."

Sasuke rolled down the window and peeked. "Good evening, sir."

Kizashi had his arms crossed and he raised a brow when he looked into the car. When he saw a familiar face, he grinned. "Ah, it's you. Dropping my daughter off, huh?"

"Yes, sir. Just wanted to make sure she was safe."

He nodded solemnly. "Good," he ushered Sakura back into the house, "Good night."

Sasuke watched as they disappeared into the house and then drove away.

Sakura was internally screaming the entire time, and only took a breath once the front door clicked. Her mother was on the couch, reading a book. "Who was that, dear?"

"The Golden Glove boy, the one with a good swing!" Kizashi grinned. "I didn't know you were friends with… what's name again, Sakura?"

"Sasuke-kun."

Her mother put the book down upon hearing the name. "Sasuke?"

"One of Ino's friends, I met him through Ino, because you know, she's dating Naruto and he's Naruto's friend." She was speaking too fast for her life.

"Ah, that Naruto boy." Kizashi sat down next to his wife and took a sip of his tea. "Is that the MMA one?"

"Yes." Sakura fidgeted with her skirt. She wished the ground would split open and swallow her already. This was so awkward, and her heart was racing.

Mebuki eyed her and then looked at her husband. "Are you friends with him now, dear? Did you go out with him and Ino?"

"No-" she bit her lip. No turning back now… "Ino and Naruto decided to go on their own. You know how they are." She inched her way closer to the stairs, trying to look as tired as possible.

"Who parked your car here then, darling?" Her mother asked.

"I got it sent by the hospital's valet. I didn't want to park at Waves. Too many people and small streets, you know?"

Her father looked at her, a brow raised. "Sasuke picked you up, then?"

Sakura nodded. Fuck. Can she go now, please? She was not in the mood for the questioning.

"He seems like he went through a lot of trouble." Mebuki commented, pretending to read her book again.

"No trouble, mom. Sasuke-kun's really nice."

The book slammed shut. "Perhaps you can invite him to dinner, then, dear? With your other friends, of course."

All the blood in Sakura's body fell to her feet. Her mom knew. She knew. That savage look in her eyes was undeniable. Caught red-handed from a date and not buying any of her bullshit. "Sure mom… I'll text them." Her voice was so small. "There's no need, though. I mean, they're just my friends."

"Nonsense, sweetheart." Kizashi waved enthusiastically. "You know your mother and I love meeting your friends."

Mebuki only nodded, pointedly looking at her. "That's a nice dress, Sakura. Is it new?"

"Yeah, Ino got it for me."

She hummed. "Makes your credit card bill a little lighter, then. But make sure you get her something nice too, okay? And tell her mother I send my regards."

Sakura nodded and bolted up the stairs. She locked the door behind her and took deep breaths. That was scary. Scary as fuck. Her mom knew, and her dad seemed… oblivious. But it wouldn't take long for her dad to catch on as well. She took another shaky breath in and sat on the floor. Calm down, she told herself. She had to calm down. It was no big deal.

She opened up her phone and even more notifications started to flood. Some were nice things, but her stomach dropped when people started to comment… nasty things about her. Her eyes widened and she felt sick reading it. These people didn't even know her. How could they say such things.

She turned her phone off and threw it to the corner. She would think about that later. Her mother invited them over to dinner… it would be no problem to have Ino over but Naruto and Sasuke? Sasuke in particular…

"Shit."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hello dear readers!**

 **Welp, a lot happened in this chapter and... sasusaku has been exposed...**

 **or have they? Hahaha**

 **We love this story so much and have a lot of fun writing it. Your reviews always make us smile!**

 **What do you guys think about Sasuke posting her on Instagram? And upcoming dinner with Sakura's parents?  
** **  
Thanks for your continued support!** **  
**

 **-Tyy and Kairi**


	18. Friends

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Eighteen-**

Friends

* * *

Since meeting Sakura, Sasuke felt as if he'd experienced some truly pleasurable moments. Of course, he loved fighting and training and he was all about pouring himself into his career… but there was just something about her that set his soul on fire. She made him smile. She made him skip interviews. She made him want to do yoga. She made him a whole new man and he couldn't even be mad about it.

He wanted to do little things to make her happy, like go on dates and text her—or even learn how to use Instagram. He'd actually been so happy to post that pretty picture of her on his account. For one reason: official or not, Sasuke considered Sakura one hundred percent _his girl_. The other reason was that he wanted them to be official and he wanted to show her off. Sasuke was a prideful man, meaning he took pride in himself and everything about him.

That included Sakura.

Some people were ecstatic about it, others… not so much. On his way home from dropping her off, Kakashi called over and over and _over_ until finally, Sasuke picked up. He already knew he was going to have to hear a load of shit from his manager and while he didn't want his good mood to be spoiled, he knew there really wasn't any avoiding it. He put it off, but he had to face the white-haired man eventually.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?!" Kakashi yelled the instant Sasuke answered the phone. He had to pull it away from his ear to preserve his hearing. "Even the thought of you posting something like this on your personal account is hard to believe… but your _professional_ account?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes as Kakashi scoffed. He was just pulling into his driveway. "It's my account either way. I can do as I please."

"I'm deleting it."

Sasuke's brows rose before narrowing. "Do that and I'll delete you, Kakashi."

His manager was silent for a long moment, long enough for Sasuke to get out of his car and then he sighed in frustration. "You do know that you have a high volume of female fans, right? Have you even been reading the comments, Sasuke? Some people are really upset."

It was just like Kakashi to overreact about something like this and Sasuke found him so annoying. "I don't care about them." He stated plainly as he locked his car on his way inside.

"You don't?" Kakashi huffed. "It's not you who is on the receiving end of hate, Sasuke. It's Sakura. If she means anything to you, you need to take her into consideration here."

That had a frown tugging at his lips. Of course, Sakura meant a lot to him and he wouldn't tolerate anyone giving her any hate. "You're being ridiculous. I'm hanging up."

Though Kakashi started to go off once again, Sasuke ended the call as he stepped into his house and locked the door with a sigh. Sometimes it seemed as if the world was against him. Sasuke was so passionate about being a fighter, he had plans and goals and he wasn't ever going to give up.

But sometimes he wished he was just a normal guy.

As he walked through his home on his way to his bedroom, he sent Sakura a quick text to let her know he'd made it home. His phone had been blowing up just as hers had, but he wasn't going to check any of that. It seemed Kakashi had already been on top of it and if he knew what was best for him, he would weed out any negative people. Or else.

.

.

.

Sasuke woke up the following morning, had a shower and dressed in a pair of his training shorts before wandering into his kitchen. His mom had been by, leaving plenty of goodies in the fridge for him but he settled for blending a healthy and calorie-packed protein shake for breakfast. It wouldn't be long before Sakura arrived and he was really looking forward to having her with him for his daily yoga session. He'd thought of her so often when he did it every morning. Not having her by his side had been hard. He missed it, truly.

He'd just finished his shake when his doorbell rang and he jogged to the door. A smile had already taken to his face before he even opened the door and he couldn't ignore the way his stomach fluttered at the sight of her. When she looked like this, in those perfectly fitted leggings and a sports bra just covered by a crop top- her hair in a messy bun, she was even more beautiful than she normally was.

"Good morning." He greeted her happily and stepped aside for her to walk in.

Sakura was usually a morning person, but her smile didn't seem so bright, her eyes looked a little dimmer than usual, as well. "Good morning, Sasuke-kun."

"Is everything okay?" He asked, easily picking up on the difference in her demeanor. He grabbed her hand with his, entwining their fingers and pulling her further inside.

"I'm fine," she smiled and let herself in. "Oh, cookies!" she wasted no time walking by him and coming to his counter, spotting the cookies his mom left for him. Most likely left it for Sakura, though. She was about to open the pack but dropped it. "Whoops. No eating before yoga." She smiled sheepishly, and that sparkle was back in her eyes.

"Is that a rule?" Sasuke mused. "Glad I didn't have anything solid this morning then…"

"Try not to eat and drink an hour or so beforehand," she started setting up her mat. "Some people get an upset stomach. I also prefer not to have anything before practice."

"Hn." Sasuke hummed, deciding not to mention his shake to her, but he knew he would be fine anyway. He had his mat ready to go and was trying not to get distracted by looking at Sakura too much, but it wasn't so easily done. He laid down on his mat and looked up at his ceiling instead, pulling in a slow breath.

Sakura sat on her heels and looked at him for a while before closing her eyes. She also took in deep breaths and started to calm herself, getting into the zone for their practice. "Would you mind leading today, Sasuke-kun? You don't need to talk, I'll just follow."

"Hn." He opened one eye and looked at her. "Alright, lie down then."

She did as she was told and closed her eyes. To her surprise, Sasuke did speak a bit, giving instructions for the first few stretches, but as the flow progressed, he spoke less and less, but Sakura was still able to keep up. She kept her eyes on him, and even if he wanted to look at her too, he kept his focus on the poses. He had to show her how his progress was. He was doing so good, and Sasuke managed to do the harder variations, too.

After a good hour, he finally let them lie back down on the mat and he listened to her labored breathing slowly calm down. He turned to face her. Her eyes were still closed, sweat trickling down her neck. He smirked. It looks like she had a hard time, but Sakura still kept up flawlessly. After a few minutes, her breathing calmed down, nice and even. She was so perfectly alluring that Sasuke couldn't help himself. He was on top of her before he realized what he was doing and her green eyes flew open in surprise. Her already flushed cheeks darkened in the prettiest way and Sasuke grinned down at her.

"I did good, so I'll take a reward now." He said, grin toning down into a smirk as he lowered his lips to hers, brushing them together slowly. It was bad that he would go as far as teasing himself, but it was worth it if he was able to get a reaction out of her.

Sakura groaned and her hands came up to the sides of his face, pulling him closer to her, deepening the kiss. Her lips moved on his with more heat, making it harder for him to keep up his teasing. Sasuke found himself chuckling into the kiss, one hand moving to cradle her face while he held his weight on his other arm. She tasted as sweet as she always did, his favorite treat—a taste he would never get over. He was absolutely addicted to her.

Her hand slid down to his neck, and the other went down to his back, feeling his muscles. The more he kissed her, the more her hands wandered down, and then back up, tangling her fingers with his soft, raven hair. She kissed him harder, which he reciprocated. A moan escaped her throat. The sound threatened to consume him, causing a molten heat in his stomach to coil. She couldn't have known the effect she had on him and this was a little on the aggressive side… wasn't it? It was strange, but Sasuke liked it. He liked it a lot.

"Sakura," He breathed against her lips as his hand moved further up to grip her hair. Then he kissed her again, this time just soft and slow before his lips were moving across her delicate jawline and down her neck.

A soft whimper and she breathlessly said his name. "Sasuke-kun…" Both her hands came to his hair, as she turned her face to give him better access to her neck. She was giving him all the signs. She wasn't running away, even letting him kiss more of her body. He's never had her like this before, and he wasn't stopping now.

Sasuke let his hips rest more firmly against hers as he placed kiss after kiss on her neck, each one hot, wet and lingering. All of her tasted sweet. His mouth moved over her collarbone as well and then his hand in her hair trailed down, fingertips ghosting down her arm before moving to her side. He'd always been so fascinated with her toned tummy and he loved it when she wore those crop tops, showing off all that she had to offer. She shuddered at his gentle touch and his tongue slipped past his lips, sliding up the hollow of her throat.

Her back arched, mouth opening and releasing a sigh. She said his name again, making him smirk against her skin, and he peppered her neck with softer kisses, making his way back up to her lips, and planting a long, sweet kiss. When he pulled back, her eyes were open, clouded over and her cheeks were flushed. "Why'd you stop?" she asked, breathless.

"You look like you need to take a breath," he teased.

She pouted, and in a flash, switched their positions. Now she was on top, his head between her elbows as she held herself up. "You can't just kiss me like that and _stop_."

It was Sasuke's turn to be breathless. Hot damn… That was sexy. No one on the ring could flip positions with him like that and she did it one smooth go. He blinked at the realization. Sakura was a lot stronger than she looked. He was still in a daze when her head dipped to the side of his head and she nibbled his ear.

"I think that's enough reward for you, Sasuke-kun." She pushed herself up off him and stretched, looking smug at his dazed expression.

Sasuke had never been so turned on in his life and he was perfectly content just laying on the floor and gazing up at her, obsidian eyes full of admiration. She was one of a kind. He was so crazy about her it couldn't even be real. One day, things would be really real between them.

One day.

After a moment he sat up and sighed, running his fingers through his hair and pushing his bangs aside. "You play dirty, huh?" He hummed in amusement before getting to his feet slowly. "I see how it is."

She grinned innocently at him. "I don't know what you mean, Sasuke-kun. I flipped you fair and square." Sakura practically skipped towards the kitchen, no doubt to claim those cookies. He rolled his eyes but followed her there nonetheless.

"I let you."

"Sure you did." She snickered and took a bite of the cookie.

"I mean, whatever… I don't care… as long as you do it again." He said from behind her, shamelessly trailing his eyes down her petite frame.

Her cheeks reddened and she walked away to his fridge, taking out a container with water. "Maybe... If you can out yoga me." She then laughed. "I would want us to go to the studio though. With… instructors who can verify that I wiped your face on the floor, of course." Her teasing wouldn't stop. She was in such a good mood.

"Hn. If I have such a good reason to win, I will win. I'm not into losing, Sakura."

She hummed and took another bite of that cookie. "Alright, then."

Silence washed between them and was interrupted when she blurted, "My mom wants you over for dinner." She stopped. "And like, with Naruto and Ino, of course." She grimaced. "I think… she's on to me."

"And what exactly is she on to you about?" Sasuke asked, cocking a brow. He wanted to know what she was thinking… what she was considering them at this point.

She drummed her fingers on the counter. "My parents like… being involved in my life. They like to know my friends and stuff… and well, since I've been hanging out with you and Naruto a lot but not mentioning it to them they're… suspicious. I just want to clarify we're friends. That's all."

Sasuke frowned at that, eyes narrowing. "Clarify that we're _friends?_ Is that all we are then?" It didn't seem like it two minutes ago. "I wouldn't think you were the kind of girl who gets all touchy and kissy with your friends and if I find out you're doing that shit with Naruto I will kill him."

Her green eyes widened and her lips twisted. "I am _not!_ " She denied vehemently. "Naruto is Ino's _boyfriend._ Just what do you think of me?"

"Excuse me? Does that mean the only reason you're not rolling around on the floor with him is because he's dating your best friend?" Sasuke scoffed, suddenly pissed.

Her fists balled and she raised her voice. "It's not like that, and that's not what I meant!" She turned around, trying to calm herself, but she was too angry right now. "Sasuke-kun, I don't know what we are. I didn't even want to ask because I like how we are now but it's _complicated!_ "

"How fucking complicated is it?" He snapped. "What the hell is the problem? You don't want to be with me?"

Her jaw fell and she closed her mouth, looking stunned he would even say that. After a good few seconds of silence, she pulled her phone out and showed him her Instagram. Her photos were swamped with slanderous things, and so were her DMs.

As calmly as she could, she spoke again, "I had to put my account on private and block some of my relatives for a while. I can't delete all of them in one sitting." She took a deep breath and looked at him. "I don't know if I can give you the things you want, Sasuke-kun. That trip with my parents? It'll happen again. Maybe to a bigger fight, and you'll hate me more." she put her phone down and sighed. "My family isn't half as nice as yours, either."

Sasuke didn't understand. He didn't understand why he had to suffer like this. "Yeah… I see." He mumbled before turning his back to her. It didn't make sense, not a bit. The way it hurt… to have her acting this way about it. She was a grown woman. "I have to go." He said and walked away, heading down the hallway to his bedroom. He grabbed his bag, not bothering to grab a shirt on his way.

Sakura had left by the time he returned and that was fine with him, he couldn't face her another second anyway, not when he felt like this. The drive to the gym was nothing but a blur and when he walked in, he wasn't sure if he was happy or disappointed when he spotted Naruto running around doing his morning warmup. Sasuke walked over to the benches and dropped his bag and then paced himself with Naruto right away. His best friend knew him well enough to know that he was in a bad mood, but it wasn't like a normal bad mood for Sasuke. He wasn't even angry anymore, he was hurt. Only Sakura could make him feel like this.

"What's with the long face, Teme?" Naruto asked, blue eyes on his best friend as they jogged along.

"Don't know what you're talking about." Sasuke muttered, he couldn't talk about it because he didn't even understand his feelings.

"It's Sakura-chan, huh?" Naruto hummed knowingly and Sasuke scowled at him, making the Dobe laugh. "I can tell these things, ya know?"

"You don't know anything," Sasuke said, voice quiet. Maybe he would never understand just what was going through Sakura's head, but whether he did or not, he knew he didn't like it.

Naruto sighed and stopped running. Sasuke did too, turning to look at the blond with a frown. "You can talk to me, you know that… right, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's lips mulled together and for the first time in his life, he actually debated on confiding in his friend of his own free will. Then he just blurted it out. "Sakura doesn't want me."

Naruto's eyes widened at that and he looked around with a confused look before shaking his head. "Come on, Teme. That's not true." He laughed lightly, trying to brighten Sasuke's mood but he failed miserably.

"She hates me." Sasuke groaned and started storming over to his bag. He dug his phone out of his bag and then sat on the bench, finally pulling up the toxic Instagram that was one of their problems. He would never forgive anyone who said anything bad to Sakura… if they had any factor in how she felt about him.

But it wasn't their fault… it was his. All because he wanted the world to know who the girl was that had actually managed to mean something to him. They'd had a great night, one of the best nights he'd ever had and yet, things had to turn out this way. He didn't like it, he didn't like feeling so depressed and he couldn't really afford to focus on such things when he had such a big fight coming up. His heart ached because he was coming to realize that Sakura couldn't have more with him. Because of her parents or whatever other reasons, what they had been was all they'd ever be and if that was the case, he had no right to show her off to anyone. Or maybe it was okay, as long as he clarified some things.

"I know what I need to do." Sasuke sighed and Naruto took a seat next to him.

"Yeah?" Naruto pressed carefully and Sasuke nodded.

"Yeah."

.

.

.

"I must admit, Mr. Uchiha… having the pleasure of interviewing you in the gym you train in daily is quite the honor."

Sasuke hummed, sitting on the floor in front of the interviewer who had taken up on the bench. There were two cameras on him rolling, several photographers. He hadn't changed, he was still in his training shorts, he was a sweaty mess, he was thoroughly pissed off.

"Of course, we're here to cover the story of your upcoming fight and transition into the welterweight division. However, there is an even more interesting topic that I myself and your fans want to hear about."

The exact reason Sasuke bothered to reschedule the interview.

"Sakura." Sasuke acknowledged without hesitation and the interviewer nodded excitedly. "Some fans have blown the picture I posted out of proportion and Miss Haruno has even received some nasty, hateful comments because of it."

"Sorry to hear that. So, is Miss Haruno the lucky lady who swept you off your feet?" The man chuckled and Sasuke couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. It was the first time he'd made such an expression on camera.

That was spot on.

"No, the whole thing was taken way out of context. It was out of character for me, so I get it… but there's nothing going on between Miss Haruno and I. We're friends, nothing more. The only reason she was the first thing I posted myself was because she was the only one who took the time to show me how to work the damn app. I didn't have a chance to post anything else before people went crazy."

The interviewer raised his brows, looking surprised. "So then you deny that there's anything romantic between the two of you… you're still single?"

"Yes and yes." Sasuke confirmed easily. "I don't have time for anything more than a friendship anyway… and Sakura isn't my only female friend." He shrugged. "Is it so wrong for people to have friendly relationships with people of the opposite sex?"

The man laughed and shrugged his shoulder. "Well we can't really control how the public reacts to these things. Now that you've cleared that up, we should talk fight..."

.

.

.

"What the hell do you mean you're going on a date?" Naruto roared as he looked between his girlfriend and best friend in disbelief, absolutely mortified.

"Shut up, Dobe. It's a friend date." Sasuke scoffed.

Ino coaxed her boyfriend and hugged him. "It's for a good cause."

Naruto pouted, a sour look on his face and then glared at his best friend. "Don't you try anything funny, bastard. I will fucking kill you."

"Right. You don't need to worry. I have no interest in your girl… or crossing you." Sasuke promised. "We're just going for lunch."

Ino nodded solemnly. "Broad daylight, to one of my faves. You know, where everyone knows me?"

"Everyone knows you," Naruto grumbled.

Even though Naruto wasn't happy about it, Sasuke and Ino left him at the gym to go on their friend date. Sasuke had his issues with Ino's attitude, but he respected her for putting up with his annoying best friend and for being Sakura's best friend. She really was a true friend, annoying, but genuine and all Sasuke had to do was reach out to her and she was more than willing to help him out. She had reserved them a table at a nice restaurant than she and Sakura went to regularly. They had a booth that gave them plenty of privacy and the pair sat across from each other.

"Thank you…" Sasuke told her quietly, not looking her directly in the eyes.

Ino placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands. "Don't thank me just yet. I agreed to come here because I know it's for Sakura."

"Right." Sasuke nodded. "That's all I'm worried about anyway…" Sasuke couldn't care less what people thought of him, but he didn't feel that way about Sakura at all.

"Is this about the post, that interview, or you two rolling on the floor and then fighting?" She grinned angelically at him, as if the things she said contained no malice or controversy. She called the waiter over, ordered her usual and then looked at Sasuke. "The steak and potatoes are good here. Only place I eat carbs at."

"Then I'll have that. And water." Sasuke said, not really caring as long as he got food.

Ino told the waiter their order and then she leaned back in her chair, "I'm still waiting, Sasuke. What exactly are you thanking me for here?" Oh she was smug. And enjoying this way too much.

"For being my friend." Sasuke explained as he pulled his phone out and clicked his instagram app, making sure he was logged into his professional account. He got up and walked over to Ino, wrapping his arm around her slender shoulders. He held his phone up and smiled, thankful that Ino made such a flawless show for the camera.

The picture turned out great and he wanted to post it right away, but she stopped him. "Hold up, Sasuke. Let me see first."

"That will be the last thing I post on my professional account, but I intend to flood my personal one."

She looked at it for a few seconds and then gave it back. The waiter came over and she handed him her phone. "Let's take another." She smiled sweetly at the waiter and he nodded. "Sasuke, just look at me and pretend to talk."

"What?"

The waiter came back and handed the phone back. "Is it okay?"

Ino grinned. "Perfect! Thank you so much." She then showed Sasuke. It was a perfect side view shot of them, the light from the window on the other side dimming their faces but they were still recognisable. "This is the kind of photo you want to tease them with."

Sasuke grumbled. "It's a friend date."

"And I have a boyfriend." She grinned. "But don't worry, Sasuke. This is going to my feed, not yours. Doesn't hurt to take more photos with other people, too."

He had been taking selfies all day at the gym even though he really didn't want to. He'd taken pictures with Naruto, with Kakashi. He'd had Kakashi take pictures of him and Naruto as they trained and he sat there then, literally flooding his personal account with pictures. Then he took another of Ino and posted it as well. People really needed to chill and back up out of his personal life.

"This is only about Sakura getting hate from that post… I never thought that would happen." Sasuke sighed. "There's no need to discuss anything else."

"Isn't there though?" Ino asked cheekily. "Seems like you got pretty upset with Sakura."

"I guess." Sasuke said, deciding not to deny it. He finally stared directly ahead at Ino and sighed again. "I'm not good with this kind of shit… but I know I can't even express how I felt when she labeled us as nothing more than friends. It… hurt, and I realize now that we can't be more than that and maybe it's for the best, for both of us. I don't want to hurt her."

Ino looked him over for a moment, absorbing his words thoughtfully. "You want to take her feelings into consideration but you're also half-assing it, Sasuke." She mused. "You want her, yet told the world she was just a friend."

Sasuke crossed his arms over the table and laughed, thought it was a laugh that wasn't even close to humorous. "What can I say? I don't know what the fuck I'm doing here." Not that it even mattered anymore. They were just friends and that's all they'd ever be.

"There's not really any rush, right? You both should just take things at your own pace. Sakura isn't the kind of girl to rush things, anyway. But seeing how you two have been going, she does like you. A lot." Ino informed him and Sasuke shook his head slowly. They had been taking things slow. Real slow.

"I'm new to this kind of thing, but in my opinion, when two people like each other, they should go for it… be together." It wasn't like Sasuke to be so talkative with Ino, but being alone with her like this left him with a feeling of ease, it wasn't hard to talk to her at all… it was even easier than talking to Naruto.

"And sometimes, things are complicated…" Ino stated and Sasuke hummed in agreement as their food was delivered.

"I'm going to be perfectly honest with you, and you can blame me all you want, Sakura too but… I've never liked a girl like I like her… I've never felt this way before, but I know that my feelings are sincere and the only thing I ever wanted as much as I wanted her, was fighting."

Ino giggled as she cut her steak with practiced precision. "Right, you don't usually fall for girls. You're one of those guys who just like a quick lay and then nothing else."

Sasuke couldn't understand why she would think that… but she was dead wrong. "Not at all. I've never taken an interest in any woman before Sakura. I never bothered to take time for shit like that. If it didn't help me further my skills, I didn't bother with it."

Ino blinked at him, fork midair. "Wait you don't mean… like, you have _had_ other girls before, right?"

"I could if I wanted… never wanted to though." Sasuke grumbled before taking a bite of his potatoes.

Ino laughed. "You're really funny, but you have to stop talking about it like that. It sounds like you, like, never had done it." She shook her head.

"What?"

"You not being… sexually active." She laughed again and Sasuke swallowed. It always amused him when people thought they could know things like that about someone just based off their looks and personality alone.

"I'm not. Never have been." Sasuke admitted shamelessly and Ino dropped her fork and knife, gaping at him.

"Why would you even make such a joke?" She was affronted, startled really. "I take it back. Not funny."

"It's true." Sasuke muttered, rolling his eyes. "Why would I lie about something like that?"

"Yeah! Why _would_ you?" She scoffed and stared at Sasuke, studying his expression for any indication that he was lying and then after a few seconds, she gasped. "Holy shit, YOU'RE A VIRGIN?!"

"I am."

Outside the restaurant, a faint yet shrill scream could be heard. It was a good thing Ino was a regular here, or else they would have kicked her out.

.

.

.

After lunch Sasuke and Ino went to a nearby park. Sasuke was done with her, but she apparently wasn't done with him. He didn't argue about it at least, walking through the park alongside her silently for a bit. He really had a lot on his mind and he was still feeling down about the whole Sakura situation but felt as if there wasn't much he could do at this point.

Ino poked his arm. "You're unusually quiet. I see why Naruto says you've got a stick up your ass."

Sasuke shot her a glare. "Just because I'm quiet doesn't mean I have a stick up my ass." He snapped. There was no way he was dealing with her bitchy side.

Ino laughed freely, now that they were away from prying eyes. "And so easy to rile up!" She giggled more and took her phone out again, scrolling and seeing the notifications. "You know, Sasuke, I could help you with Sakura and her parents. Her mom sent me a text for a dinner invite with you and Naruto."

"I doubt you can help. It doesn't seem like Sakura wants to change anything, so what's the point… but I'll go to the dinner as her _friend."_

Ino rolled her eyes and forced him to sit on the bench. "Okay, Mr. Sour Puss, listen up." She placed her hands on her hips. "First of all, don't doubt me like that. Her parents _adore_ me. Second, don't talk about Forehead like that. She's… she takes time but when she's clear about what she wants, she goes and gets it. Last, if you're going to give me this friend shit like she is, I'm going to embarrass you two on social media as much as I can." Her tone was menacing but the social media threat didn't sound so scary… right?

"I don't know what you expect me to do." Sasuke sighed. "She's being pretty difficult about it. I think this is what she wants… me to only consider her as a friend, that is."

Careful not to ruin her perfectly plucked brows, Ino massaged her forehead, a migraine coming on. "She says that because she's scared and wants to spare you from her family. From what I heard, yours loves her. And hers… let's just say there's a reason why I'm her closest friend. They're too… choosy." She sat next to him and gave him a hard stare. "Anyway, tell me, Sasuke. Is being her friend all you want? Like, really. Because if it is, I'll stop. But if not, I can help."

Sasuke took a moment to consider her words, wondering if she could truly help him, but this was Ino. "I want her… as more than a friend." He admitted.

Ino grinned. "Good boy. Now, I'm going to help you as much as I can because I want her to be happy but!" She held a finger up. "You have to fight for her. I fought her parents hard to stay in her life, and now," she sat up straight and batted her eyes at him. "They love me."

Sasuke blinked at that and eventually hummed. "Well, I am a fighter… so I'll fight for her."

Ino smiled smugly at him. "That sounds soooo convincing."

He rolled his eyes at her sarcastic words but ended up laughing lightly. "I mean it. I said I wanted her and I'm going to have her… I'm not into losing, in case you haven't noticed."

Now it was Ino's turn to roll her eyes. "Alright, Alright." She extended her hand to him for a shake. "I look forward to partnering with you, Mr. Sour Puss."

Sasuke took her small hand in his and shook it firmly. "Alright bitch. Let's make it happen."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hello again, thanks for reading!**

 **Kairi and I love this story so much and have a lot of fun writing it. For those of you who are enjoying this story as well, thank you so much. Your reviews mean a lot to us.**

 **Yes virgin Sasuke! Some of you like it, some of you hate it. Wow, there were lots of complaints but, Sasuke is a busy guy and has been fighting since he was seventeen. If you have been reading this whole time, you should understand how dedicated and focused on his career he is.**

 **Sakura is very sheltered in this story. Her parents are overprotective and while she is in her early twenties, in many cultures, that is still a very young age. She is frustrated with her parents and the whole situation as well, but she (along with the story) will develop.**

 **This story is titled "Fighting For You" because Sasuke and Sakura really will have to fight for each other and they will!**

 **Kairi and I have created this story with a clear plan for it in its entirety. There will be no changes on the plot to adapt to any readers. We write what we want because its what we want.**

 **Don't like it? Don't read it.  
Have a better idea? Write it! More power to you!**

 **Just don't expect to rave in the reviews about what we should be writing and get what you want out of us. You're only going to get what we want. XD**

 **Thanks again for reading!**


	19. Trying

**Fighting for You-**

 **Disclaimer: We do not own Naruto!**

 **Chapter Nineteen**

Trying

* * *

The living and dining room lights were on, and the music played loudly. Her father's favorite selection from Neil Diamond playing. Usually, Sakura would be singing along with her parents as they prepared dinner. But not this time. She was a nervous mess. For some reason, Ino and her _friends_ decided it was a good idea to agree to her mother's invitation. She took a deep breath before pulling the cookies out of the oven and setting them on the cooling rack.

"Darling, sing with me!" Her father placed his arm over her shoulders and belted out, "SWEEET CAROLIIIIINE!" Sakura could only laugh nervously.

"Sorry, dad. Kinda busy with the cookies. Don't want to burn myself, you know?"

He blinked and scratched the back of his neck. "Oh right! Sorry, I'm just so excited. And those cookies look good. Can I help?"

She grinned. "Thanks! Can you help with the table? Mom is still getting ready."

"Oh sure." Before her dad could even pick up a plate, the doorbell rang.

Kizashi grinned and announced that he would get it before sauntering out of the kitchen. He opened the door, surprised to find the Uchiha boy as their first arrival. Sasuke offered him a warm smile and his hand.

"Good evening, Mr, Haruno. Thank you for having me," Sasuke said as they shook hands and then he blinked. "Is that… Niel Diamond?"

Kizashi blinked before a face splitting grin formed on his face. "The one and only. You listen to him?"

"I do." Sasuke nodded. "Often when I'm working out alone."

He nodded, a hand on his chin. "Sweet Caroline while working out. I should try that next time," he muttered. He let Sasuke in and then a clatter came from the kitchen. "Sweetheart, do you—oh! Right. Let me set the table. Sasuke, have a seat. Dinner will be ready soon."

"Oh, no sir. Please allow me to set the table. I'd like to help after you guys went through the trouble of inviting me." Sasuke told him, still smiling a flawless smile that was genuine. "I brought a few things as well. I hope that's okay." He explained as he held up the basket in his other hand.

Kizashi looked at him thoughtfully before smiling. "Oh, you shouldn't have! Sakura and my wife have been cooking all afternoon. But thank you. Come this way." He led the way to the kitchen, where Sakura was garnishing the chicken. Her hair was still up in a bun, and she was looking flustered. "Darling, Sasuke's here. He beat Ino to it!"

Sakura straightened up and waved at him nervously, the brush splattering oil on the counter. "Hey!" She laughed anxiously. Why was she laughing? Nothing was funny. "Umm… I'm not done yet. Maybe you can sit in the living room?"

"Your friend offered to help!" Her father beamed. "Such a polite young man. Here, I'll get the plates and you can set them on the table."

"You're… setting the table?" Sakura whispered. Memories of the first time he did that here came flooding back and her cheeks were tinted pink.

"I want to help." Sasuke smirked at her as he moved to set the basket he brought on the counter next to where she was working and then stood by her father, waiting for the plates.

Kizashi dug in for the good China and also pulled out the silverware they used for special occasions. Sakura's eyebrows rose. _Why those?_

"It's so nice to have youngsters over at the house." Kizashi hummed. "Makes me feel so young again. And we love meeting Sakura's friends." He handed a box over to Sasuke and piled some plates on it. Sasuke didn't even bend from the weight by an inch.

"I'm just glad to be here, sir. I'd like to do whatever I can to help," Sasuke told him and then made his way to the table to get started.

"Goodie." Kizashi was positively glowing. Sakura was glad her father was so easy to please. But smiled to herself when he whispered to her that Sasuke likes Neil Diamond. Music was important to her father, and to Sakura.

"Darling, are they here?" Mebuki walked into the kitchen. Her eyebrows rose when she saw the young man holding her fine china, setting their table.

Kizashi put his hand on the small of her back and ushered her to the dining room. "Darling, this is Sasuke. Sasuke, my wife. Mebuki."

Sasuke smiled at Mebuki and paused in setting the table to walk over to her and offer his hand. "It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Haruno. You look lovely."

Mebuki offered him a smile and took his hand for a firm shake. "Charmed to see you again, Sasuke." She held on to his hand and pulled him closer to her by a bit. "I'm sorry you're setting the table. I should have been here. I didn't expect you so early."

"Oh, no ma'am." Sasuke shook his head and laughed quietly. "I asked if I could help. I hope you don't mind."

She let go of his hand and looked at her husband. "You should have been helping Sakura, dear. Oh, really. Once Neil starts singing you just play around!" She walked into the kitchen to help Sakura.

Kizashi only laughed. "I don't get to listen to him enough!"

"He's really enjoyable." Sasuke commented, finding that he really liked Sakura's father and knew he would have to work hard to gain her mother's approval.

Kizashi was agreeing when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" He announced. As soon as the door opened, two blonde with bright blue eyes grinned at him. "Ino!"

"Hello!" Ino beamed at him and gave him a warm hug. "This is Naruto. I believe you met before."

He grinned and gave Naruto a warm handshake. "Of course! My hitter in the Golden Glove."

Naruto laughed and shook his hand, too. "Hi, sir. We brought cake!"

"Oh my! More food. I didn't know this was a potluck," he laughed. "Come in, come in. Sasuke is already here."

Ino and Naruto exchanged a look before stepping inside. Ino took the food and brought it over to the kitchen to heat up, and she started helping Mebuki out with the other dishes. Naruto on the other hand, walked right up to Sasuke with a shit eating grin on his face.

"You're _early_ , Teme."

Sasuke scoffed quietly, obsidian eyes narrowing on his friend. "You're just late, Dobe."

Naruto laughed. "Or maybe you're just excited!"

"Excited for dinner?" Kizashi came up, holding the plates. "Well, who wouldn't be? My girls cook _great_ food."

"Yeah, please let me take those," Sasuke said, averting his eyes and reaching for the plates.

Kizashi handed them over to him, a smile on his face. "Thanks, son. So helpful. Your mother must be proud." He then turned to Naruto, still smiling. "How are the fights going? Got anything new?"

"Oh, just training," Naruto scratched the back of his neck. "No new fights coming yet, but Teme here has some. Moved to another class and stuff. I'm still asking my manager if I can do the same."

"You don't say," Kizashi nodded and then looked at Sasuke. "Sounds good."

"Boys," Mebuki called. "Dinner is almost ready but Sakura will go get changed first."

Sakura scurried up the stairs, Ino following suit, but not without her giving Sasuke a pointed stare and then pointed at Mebuki.

Sasuke didn't understand how he could feel so pressured over dinner and yet stand in the octagon with a very skilled opponent and not feel anything. Sakura's mother was not like any ordinary obstacle for him to overcome. He would have to be patient and respectful. However, he was capable of those things and his own mother adored him. Surely Mebuki couldn't be too different.

After the plates were set, Sasuke slowly walked over to the woman whose approval he wanted so badly and he cleared his throat. "Is there anything else I can do?" He'd never done anything like this before and truly, he had no idea what he was doing. All he could do was try his best—prove to them that he was a good guy, more than deserving of their daughter's affections.

Mebuki turned around, mits on her hands and holding a glass container, holding what looked like lasagna. "Oh, I'm good here, dear. Thank you for the offer, though." She smiled, and then looked at the table. "You set up fast, too."

"Oh… it was nothing. I was always the one who set the table for dinner because… well, I can't do much when it comes to cooking." _Or anything for that matter._

Mebuki nodded as she placed the tray down on the counter to cool. "Do you cook, too?"

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly and he wondered if his inability to cook would lessen his chances of approval. "No, sadly. I don't have much time to learn and my mom is always stopping by my place and leaving dinner for me. So, I suppose I've never really worried about it before." _Now might be a good time to start worrying._

"You don't live with your family?" The surprise in her voice was clear, but she stopped herself from asking anything else.

Internally panicking, Sasuke wondered if he'd said too much, if he should back track, lie, or just give it to her straight. Sakura's parents were very reserved and traditional and they had a daughter. Sasuke's parents never expected him to stay home when they knew how he was. However, he truly respected how things were with Sakura and that's why he was willing to go so far—to try so hard and do everything the right way.

"No, I have my own home," He admitted after forcing his raging thoughts to settle. "I'm very close with my family though."

"Oh." Was all she said before closing the oven and giving him a sweet smile. It looked too sweet. "I'm sure they miss you, though. How often do you see them?"

"As much as I can. Sometimes only once each week. Our schedules are all a little hectic, but mine is worse than theirs."

She laughed, and for a moment, Sasuke wasn't sure if he should be even more nervous or relieved she laughed… what was so funny, though?

"My husband and I still work full time, and we're also very busy. Sakura is in Med school, and we want her to focus as much as we can, but we do miss her often when she's busy. Other times, my husband and I are the ones who don't have time for her." Mebuki picked up the pan and walked over to the table to place it down, as she passed Sasuke, she said, "We all do the best we can to make time for the people we love, right?"

"We do," Sasuke agreed, deciding that no matter how nice she was being, Mebuki terrified him.

"Darling! Oh, you look beautiful!" Kizashi left Naruto on the couch and stood to walk over to his daughter.

Sakura blushed, and playfully chided him. "Dad, please. I've worn this a thousand times." She rolled her eyes, but laughed when her dad poked her tummy.

"Old but gold," Ino winked at Sasuke.

Sakura was wearing a red sleeveless dress that fell right above her knees. He did recall seeing her wear that in one of her photos before.

"Dinner is ready!" Mebuki called them.

Kizashi kept chatting with Naruto and Ino joined them. Sakura lagged behind and fell in step with Sasuke.

"How're you, Sasuke-kun?" She grinned cheekily. "Have mom and dad got you running for the hills yet?"

"Not a chance." Sasuke shot back with a smile.

Sakura giggled and bumped him lightly with her hip. "They're going to love you… I hope." She then stuck her tongue out at him before walking over to the table and taking a seat.

Sasuke nervously eyed the open seat next to her, unsure if he should actually sit there. His hesitance only ended once he realized all the other seats were occupied and he sat down quietly.

There was a feast before them. The lasagna that Mebuki made, roast chicken, salad, pasta that Ino proudly said she made, and the stir fried vegetables that Sasuke made Itachi cook for him to bring.

The two blonds wasted no time, chatting up a storm and passing the food around for people to get. Ino looked right at home, as if she had done this a million times. She probably has. Naruto looked a little lost but as soon as he had food on his plate, he dug in, eating with an appetite as big as Sasuke's.

Sakura kept passing food to Sasuke, telling him to take more, knowing full well he must have been famished. "Just one? Are you sure? There's plenty."

Sasuke hesitated for a while, not wanting to stuff his face in front of her parents. But that lasagna did look good, and the portion he took was far too modest. What was he? A chick on a diet? Absolutely not. "Alright. Thank you. This does look really good." He took the tray from Sakura's hand, fingers brushing lightly. He kept his face impassive, and cut up another slice for himself.

Mebuki watched the two, a small smile on her face. She waited for Sasuke to take a bite before asking, "How is the lasagna, Sasuke?"

Naruto was about to answer but stopped himself when he heard who it was addressed to. Even with his mouth and cheeks full, he looked over at his friend nervously.

Sasuke swallowed to clear his mouth properly before saying, "delicious." There was something about moms being able to cook exceptionally well.

Mebuki grinned and picked up her fork. "Eat, there's a lot more."

"Thank you." Sasuke smiled and then had another bite, happy to help himself.

"Ino, dear, how is your family business going?" Mebuki asked, followed by her husband's question.

"And your father? Is he in the country at the moment? I haven't seen him at golf lately."

Ino took a sip of water before replying. "Business is doing well! Summer is a good time for flowers." She then turned to face Kizashi, "Dad is checking out another farm to purchase. He should be back next week."

"Oh yeah, aren't you opening another flower shop?" Sakura came in.

"Yeah," Ino responded. "Dad has plans to open up around three more, and hopefully another two before Valentine's next year. It's going to be busy, and I'll be helping a lot more now."

"Not too busy for me, I hope," Naruto mumbled.

"I'd never miss a fight." Ino winked.

Sakura looked at her food, wishing she could say the same for Sasuke. Med School hadn't been half as busy for her, but she still didn't get to spend as much time with Sasuke as she would like.

Mebuki smiled at Ino and Naruto, and then turned to face Sakura, who was now pushing her food around her plate. "Something wrong with your lasagna, dear?"

"N-nothing," Sakura stuttered and picked up her glass. "I just… I'm excited for dessert, I want to leave some room."

"There is always room for dessert!" Kizashi beamed. "If anyone else wants, let me go fetch that beautiful looking cake Ino brought.

"Oh, no, let me help!" Ino stood from her chair but Sakura was already walking towards the kitchen, wanting to be busy.

"Excuse me," Sasuke called softly from the table and then got up to follow her. When they were inside the kitchen, alone together, he walked over to her. "Hey, everything okay?"

Sakura didn't even want to look at Sasuke, she felt far too embarrassed. "I'm fine," she whispered, struggling to pick up the dessert forks and place them on the tray quietly. "I'm sorry I'm being weird, I feel so nervous." Once she finished with the forks, Sakura opened up a drawer to get small plates for the cake, piling them up neatly next to the forks on the tray.

"I'm nervous too." Sasuke grumbled, moving closer to her once again. "And I'm _never_ nervous. But it's okay, as long as we're in it together. Right?" He smiled at her and raised his hand to brush the backs of his fingers against her cheek.

That cheered Sakura up, and made her feel a little braver. At least Sasuke wasn't running away from her mother yet. That was definitely a good sign, and they were already at dessert. Sweets always lessened the chances of anyone being grumpy. Sakura carried the cake while Sasuke carried the tray out back to the dining area. There were some talks about moving to the living room for dessert, but Mebuki insisted they stay seated and finish their food first.

Sakura carefully placed the cake down on the stand, and asked, "Who wants cake?"

Naturally, Ino and Naruto raised their hands, and her parents wanted some, too. She looked at Sasuke, "Do you want some cake, too?" She remembered too late that Sasuke didn't like sweets.

"Yes, please." Sasuke nodded even though he hesitated for several seconds before responding.

She blinked a few times, and then forced a smile before cutting him a small slice, knowing that this was probably more than enough for him. But her mother tutted her, and chided, "Sakura, dear. That's so small. Don't be stingy for our guests."

Sakura froze and cut up a bigger slice, apologetically smiling at Sasuke.

Naruto wasn't as subtle, snickering and whispering loudly to Ino how Sasuke hated sweets. Ino didn't comment on it, just poked Sakura to make the slice for her not too big.

She handed it to Sasuke, and then continued on to slice for Ino, Naruto, and her parents. Sakura cut herself a small piece, thinking she should help Sasuke finish that slice instead of getting too much for herself.

"That's all you're getting, darling?" Kizashi asked, shocked to see how small the slice was on her plate.

Sakura sat down and nodded. "This is fine."

"You said you were excited for this, you barely had any dinner." Her father blinked.

Mebuki didn't comment, only ate her cake but looked at Sakura pointedly.

"I'll get more later, I just don't want to overeat, it's bad to eat so much before you sleep, you know?"

"Don't remind me," Ino muttered, but still had a big slice of cake. Naruto was too busy eating this cake to comment.

Sakura looked over at Sasuke, who was barely touching his slice. "Do you need help with that?" She asked quietly.

Sasuke gave her a look of appreciation and smiled softly at her. "Thank you."

She smiled warmly at him and took a portion of his cake, discreetly transferring it to her own plate. Sakura pushed her plate away and took a large bite, appreciating that she was finally eating something sweet. After another bite, she took more cake from Sasuke's plate, leaving him the small slice she got him earlier. "You'll have to finish that on your own," she teased.

"I can handle it." Sasuke said surely, even if he wasn't so sure. He began by taking small bites and chewing fast.

Sakura giggled and proceeded to eat her cake, listening to Ino's chatter about her mother's trip.

"How's the cake, son?" Kizashi asked Sasuke, a wide grin on his face.

"Best I ever had." Sasuke answered easily as swallowing a large mouthful of cake—trying to finish it so he would be done for good and not have to go through anymore cake eating. He really did hate sweets.

Kizashi seemed pleased with his answer, taking a piece of cake and biting into it himself. He then told Ino to send him the location for this cake shop, as he would have wanted to bring some for his colleagues the following week. Ino was quick to pull out her phone to send him the map.

As soon as all the cake was done, Kizashi had to excuse himself to answer a work related call, and Mebuki also had a text message to attend to, that became a call, too.

Ino, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke were left to clean up, and this gave Sakura such a huge breath of relief. At least now, she could relax. Sakura was picking up the small plates while Sasuke and Naruto brought the bigger plates and food back into the kitchen.

Ino walked over to her, picking up the used utensils. "Forehead, I think that went well."

"It's not over yet," Sakura replied. "When they finish that call, they'll probably ask us to sit around for tea or wine."

"And that isn't a bad thing, look," Ino stopped working and gave Sakura a pointed stare. "Sasuke is still alive and cleaning up around here. Your mother didn't scare him off! That's a good thing, right?"

"Yes, it is," Sakura sighed. "I'm relieved my mother didn't say anything too scary, to be honest. Dad seems to like him, though."

"See! Already one down," Ino laughed. "But yeah, your mom needs to be won over. Like, so bad. Do you think Sasuke sending her flowers will work?"

"Pig!" Sakura laughed. "Stop being so silly."

"Whaaaat?" Ino giggled. "A woman can't refuse flowers." She picked up the last of the utensils and walked to the kitchen. "Don't say it isn't truuue!" She sing-songed before skipping into the kitchen.

Sakua shook her head and smiled, cleaning up the rest of the plates before walking over to the kitchen. Naruto was leaning on the counter, chatting while Sasuke was moving the lasagna to another container. Ino placed the utensils in the sink along with the plates and Sakura walked over to join her.

"I'll wash, you rinse?" She asked Ino.

"I'll help you," Sasuke interjected, coming to take a place next to her at the sink. "If that's okay…"

"Sure," Sakura smiled.

"Thank you!" Ino gushed, and looked at her manicure nails. "I thought I was going to risk having these babies ruined. "I'll take care of wiping the table down instead," she grinned and then pulled Naruto. "Come help me over here."

Only Sakura and Sasuke were left alone in the kitchen to wash. Sakura picked up a pink apron with Cherry Blossoms on it and slipped it on before tying a ribbon at the back. "Do you want an apron too, Sasuke-kun?" She giggled, showing off the _Kiss the Cook_ apron her dad liked to use.

"N-no." Sasuke shook his head quickly, ears turning red while he refused to look at her. "I'll be fine like this."

She hummed and then hung the apron back. "Alright, if you say so." Sakura took her place in front of the sink and proceeded to wash the plates, handing it to Sasuke when it was thoroughly soaped. "How was dinner, Sasuke-kun?" she kept her voice low, not wanting to be overheard.

"It was great… the food was really good and well, I made it." He chuckled quietly and nudged very hip with his. "I don't think they hate me at least."

"I'm surprised you didn't run." Sakura giggled. "I think dad likes you a lot."

"I hope he does… I want them both to like me, since I like you so much." Sasuke smiled and her, wanting to lean closer but not allowing himself to. He had a task to do and he didn't want to be caught red handed all close and personal to Sakura.

Her cheeks burned. A plate slipped in her hold and it clattered loudly. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She picked it up and scrubbed a little harder, her heart fluttering in her chest. _Did he really just say that? Sasuke-kun just said he likes her a lot._ It was getting a little too hot in the kitchen.

"I-I don't think it'll be hard for you to get mom to like you." _Because I already do_. "But she's just really hard to please and scary, you know? Sometimes I don't know how dad ever managed to win her over."

"That's easy." Sasuke smirked. "He never gave up. And neither will I."

Sakura chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I recall he said something like that." She smiled warmly at him, wanting to give Sasuke a quick kiss for being so sweet, but stopped herself, not wanting to risk anyone seeing them. "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

It's no secret that being with her was an ordeal. Perhaps not because of her personality but because of her circumstance. Other than being busy with school and work at the hospital, her parents were also a hard obstacle to conquer. Sakura lived in a little upperclass bubble, and people would think that it was easy to be friends or do what you liked with that much financial freedom at her disposal but if anything, it made it harder for her to make real friends, who didn't want her for her money. Or date boys who just thought if they wifed her, she would be a trophy wife.

Sasuke never made her feel that way. Whenever she was with him, she felt like she could be herself, and that he genuinely enjoyed her company, for being the real her.

After a quick glance around the kitchen, Sasuke leaned over and kissed her temple. It was chaste, but soft. The kiss lingered for a couple seconds and he smiled so sincerely at her as he went back to rinsing the dishes.

She sighed and leaned on his shoulder for a bit before going back to soaping the plates. They continued to wash in a comfortable silence for a few minutes more and Sakura briefly wondered what it would be like to spend the rest of her life with Sasuke like this. Doing mundane house work, but still feeling over the moon, heart fluttering and cheeks blushing, forever feeling like a love struck teenager.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Hello, thank you guys for reading!**

 **ahhh, dinner with the parents... how scary~  
**

 **Sasuke made it though. Sakura seemed to struggle even more than he did haha, poor girl!**

 **What are you guys expecting to happen from here? Kairi and I will be looking forward to hearing your thoughts. XD**


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